3 BIG Risks to Take Before You Turn 30
“Happiness is a risk. If you’re not a little scared, then you’re not doing it right.”
― Sarah Addison Allen, The Peach Keeper
I recently turned 30. I was so excited for this milestone in my life. Most of my peers were not or are not looking forward to it.
So what was so different? Why should turning 30 be such a good thing. I mean, I’m getting old. I might as well have one foot in the grave.
The following 3 experiences completely changed my perspective and how I view life around me. They will be hard, but I can guarantee they will be the most worthwhile things to accomplish while still in your 20’s, helping you gain momentum to run into the rest of your exciting life.
Move Away From Home.
I’m not just talking about out of your parent’s house. I mean, go away to somewhere completely new and different. If you are from a city, move to a small town, or vice versa. Come from a desert? Move somewhere tropical.
Move somewhere where you won’t be comfortable. Make it a place where you will question everything you know. And someplace that you can’t run home every weekend. By all means go home, just not often.
Learn how to spend time away from the things you are comfortable around. Being able to deal with change is a huge part of adulthood. It’s a huge part of life in general. Find new friends, new places to hang out and new ideas.
Work Minimum Wage Entry-Level Jobs
Even if you don’t have to. Do it for the learning curve. I have worked numerous jobs and was fascinated by each one. Each one taught me empathy for others, a lot of adulting skills and gave me inside information.
I know what fields I like working in better than others. I know what working conditions I want. I know how to find and shop sales. I have really good recipes. I know how to talk to and treat people. I know how to organize. I understand how insurance works. I know how to treat and take care of my health. I learned so much from so many different jobs.
There are a lot of things to learn that just can’t be taught.
Besides which, you will get some great stories. You should see people’s faces when I tell them I worked at our local mortuary. And at a deli. And a library. And a pharmacy. And as a cleaning lady. And at a high-end retail store. And at a call center. And at a gymnastics academy. I even tried my hand at network marketing for a few different products- insurance, jewelry and health shakes.
Most of these are things people would never expect of me. I never really expected it either. However, I learned so much from each of these jobs and they have all helped improve my life significantly.
Quit Your Job.
This may sounds a bit backwards since I just told you to work any and all odd jobs, but this isn’t just about those jobs. This is about ANY job you have. It’s about hanging on for the illusion of security.
If you love it, by all means keep it. Don’t lose something important to you. But don’t hang on to a job because money is essential.
There are necessities in life that require money. However, we don’t need as much of it as we think we do. There was one summer in my life when I was living in Hawai’i when I didn’t receive a paycheck for three months.
I was going to work every day, but due to paperwork oversights (as in plural), I lived off of next to nothing.
Jobs do not always equal financial security. Or any security. Work somewhere to learn, because you love it. Have at least one experience to push your limits, find out what you really need to live in life and be financially independent.
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These three things, as simple as they seem, take a lot of work mentally. Be prepared for the large changes, as well as the little ones.
Get your free guide Control Your Story to center yourself before and after each of these things.
