30 Things I Came to Realize After I Turned 30

1.  No one will love you unless you love yourself first.

2.  Clothes look better when they fit, regardless of what size they are.  A tag is on the inside, it doesn't define you.

3.  Invest in a few great blazers in different colors.  They will structure every outfit, conceal areas that may not be up for the exposure, and they are always in fashion.

4.  Clarisonic brushes do work.  Once a day, delicate brush.  Moisturize with argon oil afterwards.

5.  Sunscreen on the face everyday.  Even when it's cloudy.  Even when it's snowing.

6.  Sometimes the best company is found in solitude.

7.  Distance shouldn't define relationships.  Some of the people I love the most live far away.  Technology is a great thing sometimes.

8.  Kindles are great, but the feel of a book, the smell of a book, nothing can really replace that.

9.  Sometimes the music you really love still sounds the same 16 years later.  Sometimes it is great to get those old dusty CDs out and see if they still inspire you.  You will see how much you have changed and also how little you have, too.

10.  Email is a full time job.  It involves commitment.

11.  Eating right and exercise is about balance.  You have to treat it as a daily effort, but not a daily obsession.  Nothing that is so black and white will ever be sustainable.

12.  The work you put in will not always equal the product you get out.  This is okay.  Once in a while, we all fail.  Failure is an experience to learn something new.

13.  Every woman should have the following standard items in her closet: 1 wrap dress, 1 pair of heels that are comfortable and closed toe, 1 clean crisp white button down shirt, 1 blazer that hits past the hips, 1 pair of dark jeans that create no muffin top, and a few printed silk tunics.....I swear, your life will change.  You can go anywhere in minutes.

14.  There is power in being ready in less than 20 minutes straight from the shower.  It took me 10 years to learn a good routine for me.  Wet hair gets a little Moroccan oil, sunscreen and argon oil on the face, followed by Armani foundation (life changing!), Nars Orgasm blush (believe the hype!), Loreal Voluminous Mascara, and a pat of Nars Heatwave lipstick.  Done and done. I love beauty products and will make a big list of my favorites coming soon!

15.  Family is priceless.  If you have a great one, you are lucky.  It is a privilege, not a right.

16.  Say sorry.  Admit fault when needed.  Let the grudges go.  Close doors.  New ones will open.

17.  When your friends have children, they will change.  They will become someone's mommy.  This is beautiful.  The friendship you have before will always be there.  The way they love their children is very much the same as the way they have always loved you.

18.  Men who love children and think they are awesome are the sweetest.  Sharing baby photos with a guy and getting a genuine reaction...priceless.

19.  Everyone has a past.  It is what they learned from their past that defines their future.

20.  I am better without booze.  Once in a while is great, all the time is dark.

21.  Appreciation and genuine thank you's are worth sleepless nights, driving 300 miles on no sleep, and crying fits.  There is always a solution.

22.  The race isn't won at 30.  It isn't won at 40 or 50 or 60 or 70.  People always change.  People always learn.  Life is unpredictable.

23.  If someone Awful tells you that you will never succeed, prove him wrong.  Not through words, through actions.

24.  No one knows what happens behind closed doors.

25.  It's okay to admit that you are sad.  It is the first step to finding happiness.

26.  Sleep is necessary for success.

27.  Ice cream and chocolate are not the enemy.  They are just not someone I should invite into my social circle on a regular basis.

28.  Don't expect too much and you will never be disappointed.

29.  Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.

30.  One days things may just be better, but it takes a lot of bad days to get there.  Nothing instant is real.