30 Rules To Live By After Turning 30
Posted by: Wendy Atterberry
Filed in:
relationships
1:30PM, Monday November 16th 2009
Now that I’m 30 and have, uh, accomplished some of the things in our 30-before-30 lists, I’m hardly done learning. Here’s a repost of Wendy’s “30 Rules To Live By After Turning 30.” I shall start tomorrow.—Editor
Inspired by the “40 Unwritten Rules to Live By” recently published in Men’s Health, I thought The Frisky could pen a list of our own. So far, we’ve talked about the 30 skills every woman should know before she turns 30, as well as places to do it, things to have, and friends to make before the big 3-0. But what’s really important are the lessons a woman learns from the years before that milestone birthday and how she applies them to life afterward. So, without further ado, here are 30 rules to live by after turning 30, after the jump.
- The real mistake is not making amends as soon as you realize you’ve made one.
- A (legally obtained) sleep aid like Xanax works wonders on long-distance flights.
- Wait at least two weeks after a breakup before scheduling a haircut.
- Cut everyone a little slack; none of us is perfect.
- Even a fabulous sale won’t make the wrong size fit any better.
- Laughing at his jokes beats cooking skills, hands down.
- The “friend zone” is where the most promising boyfriend material hangs out.
- Black is more slimming than a grapefruit diet.
- Recycled trends only work if you weren’t old enough to wear them the first time they were popular.
- Gay men make the best girlfriends.
- Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is for women what duct tape is for MacGyver.
- When people tell you their flaws, believe them.
- If his profile picture looks like it was taken in the ‘80s, it probably was.
- Don’t ask if you look fat if you can’t handle the truth.
- A job interview is the only time self-deprecation won’t work in your favor.
- She who says the least knows the most.
- If he only sees you after dark and won’t introduce you to friends or family, he’s an FWB, not a BF … no matter how many months you’ve been sleeping with him.
- Giving a good BJ beats cooking skills, hands down.
- Thou shalt not drink and text.
- In three months, everything will be different.
- Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.
- Find joy in the simple things.
- Creativity is a hot commodity, so charge (and pay) accordingly.
- The larger your frame, the larger the pattern should be.
- The person who tells you everything about everyone is telling everyone everything about you, too.
- Be open to change, but never compromise your values.
- Remember that what you want isn’t always what you need.
- Living well isn’t the best revenge, a great haircut is.
- Great love and great achievement require great risk.
- Great sex does not.
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Simosa
wrote on October 20 2008 @ 12:57 pm: [report]
31. Every guy will tell you EXACTLY who he is within the first two dates. - LISTEN!
32. More than likely you are now somewhere near the age of your parents when they had you. More than likely they did the best they could and didn’t consciously set out to eff you up. It’s time to forgive them and take responsibility for your life now.
33. When meeting your best friend’s new guy for the first time…make sure you shine the light on her rather than stealing the spotlight for yourself.
34. If he’s 35 and still doesn’t have a real job…he likely never will.
35. Your job is not the universe -it will not give back to you what you put into it. Work is what you do for income - Don’t confuse that with what you do for a living.
36. More often than not -YOU are what’s getting in the way of you having everything you ever wanted.
37. Give it everything you’ve got! Anything worth having deserves that much. And, if you find yourself holding back…then it’s likely NOT what you really want.
ClatieK
wrote on October 20 2008 @ 06:56 pm: [report]
OMG #11 yes!
Kerry
wrote on October 23 2008 @ 02:37 pm: [report]
@ Simosa: Great add ons!!!
SouthOC
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:16 am: [report]
Adding to Simosa’s great list:
38. I still have a LOT to learn about life, and what makes people tick.
39. Forgiveness is a very healthy thing (for others and myself).
ELLE0813
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:54 am: [report]
# 18 is soooo true! My husband is the cook!
Secret Story Time
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 01:09 pm: [report]
Numer 18! My Ex always said that the Worst blow job he ever had in his life was FANTASTIC!
He never talked about good, old fashioned home cooking.
Secretia
Cocoa Fly
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 02:39 pm: [report]
38. You are officially too old for people’s BS so don’t put up with foolishness.
39. Life will start to make a bit more sense, trust me.
40. Don’t do the same stupid sh*t you were doing in your 2o’s because at 30. It’s not cute anymore.
Queen Frostine
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 02:49 pm: [report]
Just because you’re turned 30, doesn’t mean you have to give up your inner child.
OutOfLine
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 01:36 pm: [report]
I love this list en endless amount, and that’s from someone who is not a big fan of lists. I love the comments too. Do you think 19 is too early to start following it?
casablancas
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 01:46 pm: [report]
Yay! An awesome list! A lot of these go for any age. Being not even close to 30, I can vouch for at least #‘s 4, 7, 10, 20, 22, 23, and 26 coming in handy way before that landmark!
joyy
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 01:51 pm: [report]
What’s with the habitual slam on knowing how to cook? I mean, women shouldn’t just throw themselves under the bus of outdated gender roles, but eating is necessary to survival and depending on store-bought food and takeout will do a number on your health and your figure (especially if you’ve been doing it for years/decades).
Learn to cook! It is a basic life skill that really just involves following written directions, time management skills, and sometimes a little hand-eye coordination. If you don’t have those babies in your arsenal by the time you turn 30 ...
H. Blue
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 01:59 pm: [report]
joyy- Those were slams on knowing how to cook? Thank you for pointing that out.. I didn’t get the reference at all. I agree with you, though- it’s a great skill to know how to cook, and healthier. Too many people can’t make anything that requires more than opening a box and adding water, and I find that very sad. Instead of slamming cooking, you should say something like “Know how to make three healthy home-cooked meals and one fabulous dessert.”
Overall, a pretty good list, though I can’t relate to all of them…
I would add one that goes something like “Don’t compromise who you are or your belief system just to make others happy. You have worked too hard to get to the fabulous person you are today- own it!”
Twerp
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 04:57 pm: [report]
What I can’t figure out is why this site makes such a huge deal about turning 30. It’s just another birthday. Get over it.
majicksand
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 05:16 pm: [report]
41. Chances are cleavage will no longer get you out of a ticket.
42. Re-assess your goals; they may have changed in the last few years.
43. Weed out the users in your life.
44. Don’t be the user in someone else’s life.
45. Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t crossed off everything on your “Things to do before I turn 30” list. You aren’t dead, so you still have time to do them.
verynervous
wrote on November 16 2009 @ 07:23 pm: [report]
Character is always a plus. Nice to see someone out there encouraging a little wisdom and restraint.
“When people tell you their flaws, believe them.” is Maya Angelou’s, and it’s good advice.
draymond
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 01:38 am: [report]
Forgive whether or not they deserve it or whether or not they ask for it. Forgive because of the burden it lifts from your heart.
Remember fondly, but always look eagerly ahead.
og217
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 04:06 am: [report]
I think £7 is sort of pathetic. The friend zone is where GUYS WHO DONT LIKE YOU hang out. You spent your twenties there, after 30, date real men who can muster the courage to ask you out! I always thought the friend who hopes for more is triple sad.
BlueVibe
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 12:46 pm: [report]
No, living well is still the best revenge. Girlfriends are still the best girlfriends.
And moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer.
lawyrgrl
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 01:29 pm: [report]
A few more -
-Keeping a room in your house neat enough not to embarrass you when people drop by is worth the effort.
-Look people in the eye when you are talking to them.
-No one will notice the zit unless you point it out to them.
-Being rude to waiters, sales people and others who can not fight back is a mark of poor character.
Kai29
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 03:52 pm: [report]
I’m turning 30 next spring and yes, it is a big deal. I love these articles about turning 30. They’ve given me insight and make me less wary of my next birthday/ stage of life. When you’re in your 30s it’s time to kick your life up a notch. That’s what makes it such a big deal.
Twerp
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 04:20 pm: [report]
Turning 30 is NOT A BIG DEAL. If you think it is I feel sorry for you. What’re you gonna do when you turn 40, 50, 60?? Seriously. Life goes on no matter how old you are.
Kai29
wrote on November 17 2009 @ 05:46 pm: [report]
@Twerp- what a suitable name you’ve chosen for yourself. I’m sure you’re wise enough to already know that something being a big deal to someone is totally relative. Turning 30 is a big deal for me and that is perfectly okay. It’s a big deal just as any new stage of life is -such as going off to college or getting your first real job or having a baby. I nor anyone else has said or implied that they think life ends at 30.
Twerp
wrote on November 18 2009 @ 05:46 pm: [report]
No, but you behave as though is does Kai29. The fact that you need to come to a site like this to get ‘insight’ into how to live your life says something about you.
Kai29
wrote on November 19 2009 @ 10:24 am: [report]
Twerp- You have no idea how I behave, you’ve never met me. Why do you think the writer posted this article?, to have someone who can’t relate to it antagonize someone who can? By the way, not being a piss ant is a rule to live by at any age…