{30} Things I’ve Learned in My 20s

by Mandi on March 26, 2012

30-days-of-30

In just 30 days, I’ll be 30 years old, and I’m so excited! Truly! As I was brainstorming ways to celebrate here on the blog, I couldn’t help but think that 30 lists of {30} items would be just about perfect for my type-A, list-making self. Join me for the next month as I share the things I’ve learned, my favorite things and my hopes for the future!

To kick it off, let’s start with 30 things I learned in my 20s. I got married, finished my degree, had babies, moved five times, built a house, started several businesses, became the primary breadwinner, started homeschooling, wrote a book and more, so obviously it was a pretty full decade!

I’m sure this list isn’t complete, but here are 30 things I’ve learned (about myself and about life) in the last decade:

1. How to walk around with my heart outside of my body as I raise four little people.

2. I’m an introvert. And that’s okay.

3. Sometimes it’s easier to say “Divorce is not an option” than live it.

4. But a marriage that’s been through fire and come out the other side can be good. Really, really good.

5. God holds me in the palm of His hand, even when my heart feels like it’s being torn from my chest.

6. Building close friendships over the internet is possible (and not as crazy as I once thought!).

7. But having a real-life community around you is incredibly important too.

8. How to cook {kinda}.

9. I love coding and design.

10. How to make time to read even as a busy mom.

11. It’s okay to not say everything that pops into your head.

12. You can learn as much — or more — about a book or movie by reading the negative reviews as the positive.

13. Perfection is not the goal.

14. It’s okay to admit you don’t know the answer.

15. And to ask for help.

16. I’m a writer, even if I don’t look at myself that way.

17. Becoming an adult doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun and being silly.

18. We really don’t have to agree on everything to be friends.

19. Dressing up and looking nice is fun!

20. I need 8 hours of sleep a night, no matter how much I wish I needed less.

21. I really, really love coffee.

22. God has placed so many healing plants at our fingertips — from garlic and coconut to various healing herbs.

23. Homeschooling isn’t easy, but it’s worth the struggle.

24. Not buying new things is as important as decluttering the old for simplifying your home.

25. There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread.

26. Your kids really do grow up in the blink of your eye.

27. And although I thought I’d be sad, I enjoy each new stage more than the last!

28. I really like dystopian fiction.

29. Date nights aren’t essential to a marriage, but they sure are fun!

30. It’s okay to change your mind, try something new or switch to a new system when the one you have isn’t working.

What lessons did you learn (or have you learned) in your 20s?

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy on the way, and together, they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. She loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

  • http://www.townsend-house.com/ Heather

    I would love some examples of this dystopian fiction.  I’m always looking for new books :-)

  • http://www.quirkybookworm.com Jessica @ Quirky Bookworm

    I still have 9 months of my 20s left. I’ve learned the same sleep lesson… The hard way.

    You should check out Jill at Rhapsody in Books — she reviews several dystopic novels a week usually. I have Cinder on hold at the library, per her recommendation.

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Ah, thanks — I will check her out!

  • http://www.momdropbox.com Audrey

    I’m going to be 31 next month, and I would say the biggest thing I learned in my 20s is that you can’t control & plan everything.  There’s a lot you can do to shape your life, but there are many things that are out of our control.  I’m sure many learned that before their 20s, but it really took me awhile!  

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Ah, good one!

  • Shelly

    I am 31, and have chosen to embrace THIS decade and make it the best!  But……in my 20′s, I learned priorities.  I learned that it’s not about me.  I learned that it’s okay to change your mind, and most importantly, I learned to listen to the Lord.  It’s amazing how carefree, happy and harmonious your life can be when you let Him lead you.  Humans aren’t capable of handling it all….
    My marriage, parenting skills, desires for my family, and my faith have all grown tremendously because I surrendered it ALL to Him.

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Well said, Shelly — I love this!

  • Erinodom

    Wow, Mandi! Happy Birthday! I had no idea you were so young….not that you look older than 30, but I figured you were a couple years older than me (I’m 31) because of how successful you are and the ages of your girls. You must have married and started your family really young! I spent my 20s: 1-finishing college (graduated at 22…4 straight years for me!), 2-on the mission field (a year in Costa Rica but numerous trips to Latin America, China, Africa, and various places in the U.S.), 3-working for a non-profit Latino immigrant agency and ESL teacher as a newlywed, 4-becoming a mom at 27 & working w/ immigrants in Vancouver, BC and 5-picking back up on using my journalism degree by re-starting freelance writing for print news media, after mainly using my Spanish degree for several years…..Started blogging at 30…and still trying how to figure this whole mom thing out!

    I learned: God is sovereign. I’m nothing without Him. We’ll have hurts in this world, and life doesn’t always turn out the way we thought it would (I envisioned my entire life on the mission field….but it didn’t work out), but God is GOOD…so good! Oh…and how incredibly inadequate I am in everything I do without Him!

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Thanks, Erin! I definitely did everything on the early side (graduated high school early, then college, got married in college, etc), but it sounds like you had a lot of really amazing experiences in your early 20s, so there are pros and cons to both approaches!

      Great lessons to add to the list!

  • Penelope

    Please tell me how you are primary breadwinner and home school?

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Hi Penelope!

      My husband is actually a stay-at-home dad, so he handles meals/cleaning/childcare during the day so that I can work and homeschool our oldest two. Because they’re still young, school only takes us a few hours each day, so we do a combination of independent work (while I do something lowkey like respond to emails) and a couple of hours of focused time. It’s not always easy, but it works for us!

  • http://www.joyfullythriving.com Kristen

    Wow, Mandi. I had no idea we were so close in age! I turn 30 in 10 days, but 20 days isn’t much of a difference. I might have to write my own version of your 30s list, because this is a great idea! Do you mind? I’ve learned God’s plans are better than my own. I’ve also learned that although waiting is hard, God always makes the wait worthwhile. 

  • http://www.athankfullheart.blogspot.com/ Miranda @ A ThankFULL Heart

    I especially love #11 and #17! I’m going to be 22 this year and I feel like I’ve grown so much in the last couple of years. I guess getting baptized, graduating from high school, getting married, getting pregnant and having a baby in a span of a few years will do that to you ;) .

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      What an exciting few years! Can’t wait to see what the rest of your 20s holds for you!

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