I am 30!

Hi everyone, happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a great week. I’ve been dealing with what seems like summer allergies all week—congestion and random coughing spells. I’m really looking forward to a relaxing weekend with no plans to help get my health back on track.

As many of you know, I celebrated my thirtieth birthday two weeks ago, so today’s post will be a bit more personal.

Recently some asked me, “So what are your goals for your 30s”. I thought wow, that’s a 10-year plan! While I don’t have a full 10-year plan at this point, there are some things I have been thinking about as I enter this new decade.

First off, the positive affirmation I want to carry with me into my 30s is: KEEP GOING!

In my 20s, I often struggled with being okay with doing hard things and once it got hard or uncomfortable, I would quit. I didn’t give up on everything and I’m also not saying that I was so sensitive to the point of not following through with anything, but as I look back, I want to be more mindful of putting my energy into the things that really matter to me and not being discouraged by the things I don’t know. Instead, I want to embrace it as an opportunity to grow.

One prime example of this was when I graduated college. I received my degree in Foods and Nutrition but to become a registered dietician using that degree, you have to complete a post-graduate internship. This typically lasts a year and is completely unpaid. Is it always a year? No. Is it always unpaid? No, but I heard this and it instantly freaked me out and I never even attempted to pursue it. I barely explored my options before deciding it wasn’t for me.

When I didn’t find a job with my Bachelor’s degree – since many wellness coaching roles (or something like it) often require additional education or certifications – I ended up getting a job in healthcare. While I have never hated my job, I sometimes think back and wonder why I didn’t push myself harder to get to the next level with my education. It wasn’t that I tried and failed; it was that I barely tried at all because I was scared of the unknown.

As my 20s came to a close, I finally took that leap of faith to pursue my passion by creating Eats by Dre. Is building a website hard? Absolutely. Is creating content challenging? Definitely. Is writing a struggle sometimes? Yes. But through it all, I am learning and growing so much by putting myself in that uncomfortable spot. There are countless ways to do something wrong and just a handful of ways to do it right. With those odds, it’s inevitable to stumble a bit along the way and that is what I’m learning!

Whether it is in my career or personal life, my ultimate goal is to keep going. I know I might have to pivot along the way, learn things I didn’t know, and make mistakes. But in my 30s, I am committed to challenging myself, stepping into the uncomfortable, and knowing that the happiness that can come from that is so worth it! I mean in the end, isn’t happiness what most of us are striving for?

Beyond that, I don’t have a detailed list of goals but I do have some things I want to focus on.

First, I want to learn more about money and finances, investing, and building wealth. I just read a great book called Deeper Than Money by Chole Elise and I also follow her on Instagram, where she posts a lot of financial content. What I love about her is that she’s close to my age, which makes her approach to money and finances incredibly relatable. If you’re looking to improve your financial knowledge, I highly recommend checking her out!

Health and fitness are also priorities for me as well. I am in the best shape of my life right now, and I am only a year and a half postpartum at this point so that is something I am so proud of and want to continue. I want to continue this not only for myself but for the tiny human I am raising as well. I hope to instill a healthy lifestyle in her, while also teaching her about the importance of balance and having fun.

Travel is also on my radar too! Of course, I would also like to take some trips to places I have never been because I honestly haven’t traveled a ton as of recent and who doesn’t love a vacation?! We’re hoping to take a smaller trip somewhere in the U.S. soon, and then maybe plan a bigger getaway to a tropical resort later on. If you have any recommendations for fun 4-day trips, I’d love to hear them!

Lastly, I want to grow Eats by Dre! I’m still learning the ropes of running a website and creating content, but I’m excited to build a community I’m proud of as I navigate this new decade.

I love those times in our lives that are natural times to sit and reflect – birthdays and New Year’s are the big ones for me. They’re perfect opportunities to reflect back on the past year, check in with myself, and set new goals.

Cheers to a brand new year and a new decade of this sweet life!

I’d love to hear about your goals—whether they’re short-term or long-term. If you need an accountability partner or just someone to listen, I’m here!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Stay hungry my friends!