I read your article you wrote in Elle about 30 things you’ve learned before turning 30 in March and every single thing you mentioned resonated with me. I’m turning 30 with you this year too. We’re both made in 1989. I discovered your music back in college when my roommate was blasting your music our dorm room and singing “You Belong With Me” in the shower. Now I have all your albums since your first: “Taylor Swift” and they’ve been getting me through the major moments in my life. Sparks flew, as I was Enchanted to meet the love of my life, and 22 was one of the best years of my life. Your journey is the same as mine, even though it’s not the same path (since you’re a musician, and I’m an engineer), we encounter the same life events.
I’ve never got a chance to attend your concerts, because they’re always sold out by the time I get to buying tickets, but I hoping to go one day. I’m looking forward to your new metamorphosis after 4/26/2019, as I’m there transforming with you as well.

Starting my 20s was straight forward, I was in college, and as soon as I graduated, I would start a stable career, and I was set for life. With my stable career, I could financially fund my dreams to travel, when convenient, and I was able to share this “forever and always” life with someone I cared about. Life felt perfect. I wasn’t insecure physically or emotionally about anything after graduating college. At least that was what I believed all through my 20s, and that was how I cruised the last 9 years. Earlier this year, the start of my 29th year, I realized that my mindset was the same as it was since my 21st year. I had this habit of being this way, and I never changed. In my early 20s, confidence is being a leader, doing well in college/career and portraying success by showing that you’ve landed a job and can buy your own car. Showing that you’ve made it as an adult, But now that I’m an adult, what do i do next? I want to find what confidence means for this particular time in my life because just showing that you’re an adult isn’t enough anymore. I’ve had friendships turn sour, my career in question, and people causing me to doubt who I am. Being 29 and 21 are two different things:

• People treat you differently at 29, they don’t give you much forgiveness when you make mistakes.
• People expect more out of you.
• Being nice to everyone isn’t going to make me become closer friends to people anymore.
• Confidence means something else at 30 vs 20.
• Insecurities can develop over time.

Here’s my top 30 things I’ve learned before I turn 30 (my version of your list, Taylor):

1. Go to a quiet place to tone out your noisy life and appreciate how far you’ve gotten.
2. Stop being nice and opening myself up to everyone to try to make friends. Don’t reveal your gemstone to people, they’ll just take advantage of it. Just let people brush the dust off your surface, only true friends gets to see the gem underneath.
3. I always got to evolve and change to keep growing. Keep learning/trying new things, at first you try and don’t succeed, try, try again.
4. Love yourself, inside and outside. Get enough nutrition, build muscle. It’s not about looking skinny, but being in a shape where you can physically do things you love, and not get health problems as you’re getting older.
5. Don’t waste time on people who are jealous of your accomplishments and don’t want you succeed.
6. Make “like a girl” into a positive statement, not an insult. Of course I fight/run/work like a girl. Thank you.
7. Face your fears and wear it like a shield, so it can never be used to hurt you.
8. Don’t let someone influence your choice, do the research you need to know, and then make an informed decision.
9. Know what to order at Speak Easys(Absinthe is so tasty) and social situations where drinking is not the norm.
10. Cook, eat good food, and remember to save the recipes.
11. Fabric fuzz remover has brought new love into my older sweaters. Thanks for the advice on command tape though.
12. Apologize and confront people, don’t shy away from it, because the longer you avoid it, it gets worse.
13. Do the best you can to help those in need, but don’t give yourself up trying to solve the issues.
14. Don’t try to solve people’s problems, just offer your help, and be there for them.
15. Magnesium/ Bananas are great for cramps.
16. Identify and resolve insecurities early on so they don’t creep up on you later.
17. Switch to moisturizing shampoo/lotion/leave in conditioner in the winter and use it often. If your skin is dry, so is your scalp
18. Don’t dwell on issues the past, learn from it and move on.
19. Give it your all in every you do, so you won’t have regrets later.
20. There’s some people who aren’t going to be your true friends, figure it out before you invested too much time.
21. Enjoy having blue hair. Let’s try Rose gold? Own it. Life’s too short to be boring looking.
22. Learn how to be diplomatic and have tact, especially with people you love.
23. Know that you have true friends who care about you even if you’re at your lowest point.
24. I’ve had to learn how to handle serious illness in my family as well, and re bond with them.
25. I haven’t found my dream job yet but I’m going to keep dreaming and keep looking for it. Don’t lose track of the dreams for your career.
26. Get excited for things! Nothing is wrong about being overly happy about something.
27. Stand up to bullies, they don’t matter, don’t let them or anyone ever dictate how you feel.
28. When you see injustice, take action, don’t make it someone’s else’s task.
29. Your hair requires way more work than it used to, because your scalp changes as you grow older.
30. Stop being too hard on myself, I’m doing the best I can and that’s always enough.

I have a goal to be the best version of myself by the time I turn 30, and I’m working very hard this year to change. I’m going to look at myself in the mirror and say to myself that is exactly the person who I’ve always wanted to be. My thirties will be the best version of myself everyday.
“Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you.”
May we make the best memories in our thirties.

With Regards,
Michelle