10 hopes for my 30s

6 March 2017

So, 30. Here we are! I wish I could tell you that I’m only feeling joy as I enter a new decade, but the truth is that my feelings are more on the sweet side of bittersweet. I have NO regrets over my 20s, and I want to think that if I wrung as many bits of joy as I could out of each year, I should have no sadness about moving forward.

But that’s just it – my 20s have held such sweetness, so many life events that only happen once – that of course there is a bit of sadness in acknowledging that. Overall, though, I am grateful. And with the love of my life and my precious baby girl at my side, I am believing that the best is yet to come. Besides, my spirit age is 36, so existentially speaking, I’m still a spring chicken :)

One photo from each of the last 10 years – last one below!

10 things I’m proud of from my 20s:
1. Spending the summer in New York City and interning at a wedding magazine
2. Starting Em for Marvelous, fostering the community that has grown here, and using my powers for good :)
3. Writing a book of poetry for my college senior thesis
4. Being hired at my dream job (and still working there eight years later)
5. Adjusting to life in North Carolina
6. Marrying my high school sweetheart
7. Making trade-offs to pay off our student and car loans, save an emergency fund and a car fund, and give sacrificially to our church and others
8. Helping to start a new worshiping community at our church
9. Being a marvelous mama to the sweetest one-year-old
10. Carrying peace and confidence through the ups and downs, which was only possible through an identity firmly rooted in Christ

10 hopes for my 30s:
1. That we will complete our family
2. That we will own our home outright
3. That we will be content in our home, whether it’s the one we have now or not
4. That we will celebrate ten years of marriage with great joy
5. That we will see the family culture we envision being lived out on a daily basis
6. That I will find joy in my work, know the right balance of hours, and have the freedom to live that out
7. That we will continue to value experiences over possessions, exploring new and beautiful places as a family, both down the road and around the world
8. That I will be more fit at 40 than I am now
9. That as much of our family as possible will get to spend more than one week on the Island each summer
10. That I will have the discipline to see continued growth in all areas of my life, especially in my faith, becoming more like Jesus every day

I have wanted to chat about this on EFM forever, so please tell me: what is your actual age, and what is your spirit age? (You can go read Joanna’s post, but basically, your spirit age is how old you think you’ll always feel inside, whether you’re 8 or 80.)

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Laura
February 28, 2017 9:48 am

Happy birthday! That’s a pretty impressive list. :)

Megan
February 28, 2017 9:53 am

Happy happy birthday!!!

Victoria B
February 28, 2017 10:14 am

Happy birthday!!

March 6, 2017 7:47 am

LOVE your hopes for your 30s, as I share many of them! :) Welcome to the 30 club and hope you had the best birthday!

The spirit age question is so hard! Some days I feel exactly the age I am and feel grateful for how I’ve grown through learning from others and from life experience. Other days I still feel like a kid inside! Still on other days, I look around at other people my age and think my spirit age must be a grandma – ha! :)

March 6, 2017 10:13 am

Here’s to a marvelous decade ahead! You know I love the topic of spirit ages :) I am almost 27, but always think I’m 24. I also perpetually think my siblings are 16, 18, and 20 when they are actually 20, 22, and 24–it weirds me out so much to see my little brother order a drink!

Maria
March 6, 2017 1:38 pm

I laughed to myself when I saw the topic of this post because I, too, recently turned 30 and made a list of 20 things I’m proud of from my 20s in honor of the milestone birthday. Now, I just need to list my hopes for my 30s – great idea! Happy birthday!

Kelly Strawberry
March 7, 2017 9:17 am

Hmmm…spirit age is a tough one, but I think I’d go with 22. It’s the age I was when I first started dating my now-husband and met most of the people that are now my best friends (they were in their late twenties at the time, so at 22 I was always the “baby” of the group). No matter how old we get, it’s like time froze that year.

Happy birthday! I turn 30 in May so not far behind you!!

March 7, 2017 10:29 am

Wishing you the very best as you enter your thirties, sweet friend! And I particularly hope that number nine happens each and every summer, upping my chances of spending time with you guys!

March 7, 2017 2:49 pm

I loved this! It also gives me some specific things to pray for as you jump head first into THIRTY!! Love you!

March 7, 2017 4:15 pm

Happy Birthday! I am turning 26 on Sunday and I’m thankful because I’m pretty sure that’s my spirit age (I didn’t know that was a thing until this post!). Basically, all of my 25th year was spent thinking I was 26. Even as I tried to type “25” just now I still put 26 and had to go back and edit :)

March 7, 2017 4:16 pm
Reply to  emma

ps. it was definitely a sub-conscious mistake and not a keyboarding error :D

Darcy
March 8, 2017 11:56 am

Really loved this post Emily!! You’re such a great writer– always look forward to your posts, especially ones like this.

I’d love to see a recap of your “60 before 30” list and what you got done and what you’re pushing into your 30s to do list and that kind of thing :)