"I’m turning 30, and this milestone feels like it’s taking over my life. Between the changes in my friendships, career, and body (I blame my Saturn Return), I’m noticing old patterns and routines that used to serve me no longer do. And while I plan on keeping some wellness habits I learned in my 20s (i.e., my meditation practice and addiction to SoulCycle), sometimes growing up means letting go. Instead of fighting to keep wellness habits that no longer feel effective, I’ve decided to start 30 with a clean slate. I’m accepting that my body is changing and that it’s time to curate a wellness routine that works for this new decade. If everyone says your 30s are your best years, I might as well make the most of them. Here are the habits I’m letting go of in my 30s and the ones I’m adopting instead.
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“Sometimes growing up means letting go…”
1. I’m swapping high-intensity workouts for strength training
When I turned 29, I felt knee pain for the first time in my life. I was skiing down a mountain and honestly didn’t think I’d make it to the bottom because my knees were in so much pain. This was the moment I realized I could no longer live a lifestyle of just SoulCycle classes and running. I needed to prioritize strength training over everything else. Muscle mass naturally starts declining in our 30s. Incorporating strength training into your workout routine can help preserve existing muscle mass and offset age-related muscle loss.
After just a few months of incorporating one or two days a week of Solidcore into my routine, I no longer had knee pain. I also felt stronger, more toned, and happier because I was listening to what my body needed. While I haven’t completely let go of my high-intensity workouts, I prioritize my strength-training workouts first and foremost. After a year of this routine, I’ve seen the difference it makes.
2. I’m swapping my “Yes” mindset for more alone time
I spent a lot of my 20s saying yes to everything; the social events, work obligations, travel, and family time were worth every moment, but they left little room to spend time with just me. I’ve cherished alone time more as I’ve gotten older, and the FOMO I used to feel in my 20s has slowly dissipated. If a Friday night invite comes along and I don’t feel like leaving the comfort of my couch, I say that. Instead of having a “yes to everything and everyone” mindset, I only say “yes” to the people and social events that truly make me happy.
This has meant that some people have drifted out of my life, but in doing so, it’s given me more space for those who make me feel good and (more importantly) the space for alone time, which has allowed me to connect with myself on a deeper level. I’ve picked up new hobbies like painting and beading, have more time to focus on my passion projects, and feel healthier overall because I’m not burnt out from doing too much, and I’m no longer saying yes to something that drains my energy.
3. I’m swapping restrictive diets for intuitive eating
I’ve experimented with many diets in an effort to find what works best for my body. I’ve tried being a vegetarian, intermittent fasting, and the Mediterranean Diet. Some of these nutrition practices made me feel better than others, but I never stuck with any of them. In my 30s, I’m letting go of diet culture completely and prioritizing intuitive eating instead. So much of our culture’s vernacular revolves around what we shouldn’t eat, but I’ve found that adding foods to my diet and listening to what my body needs has made me feel 10x better than restricting ever did.
The biggest challenge of intuitive eating has been learning to listen to my body, eating when I’m hungry, and stopping when I’m full. As someone who’s a notorious boredom snacker, I’ve learned to find other methods of filling my boredom. Just acknowledging my boredom has allowed me to eat more intuitively. The biggest weight off my shoulders with intuitive eating has been letting go of the guilt that is associated with many diets. When I eat intuitively, I don’t feel bad about the glass of wine I had at dinner or the chocolate I ate for dessert. We have enough things to worry about in our 30s—food shouldn’t be one of them.
4. I’m swapping short-term health goals for preventative health
It’s hard to think about your long-term health when you’re in your 20s, let alone spend the time or money investing in it. But just like we’re constantly reminded to save for retirement, we should save for our health. In my 20s, most of my money went toward necessities (food, rent, car payments) and fun (dinners out with friends, new clothes). But I’ve started to invest more money into my health (workout classes, therapy, supplements). As I enter a new decade, I’m also thinking more about the future. I used to think of health as having short-term effects (such as losing weight by summer), but now I think of it in terms of keeping my body healthy for my life. My #1 health goal is longevity, or living a long, healthy life.
There are also other health goals that are more important to me than weight loss or running a marathon. Fertility wasn’t at the forefront of my mind in my 20s, but visiting my OB-GYN for regular check-ups, discussing period symptoms with my doctor, and considering options like egg freezing is a priority. I also plan on getting a wider range of blood work every year to ensure everything is in check in my body. While regular blood work is an added investment, I view it as investing in preventative health. In reframing my mindset around health and looking at it as an investment in my body and future self, I don’t have to think twice about where my money is going. Investing in preventative health feels necessary to me.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned as I turn 30, it’s that you can’t do it all—and you shouldn’t feel like you have to.”
5. I’m swapping a morning routine for a sleep routine
Don’t get me wrong, I love a morning routine; I would love to start every day sipping on coffee while reading, followed by a meditation. But between work and grad school, it has become increasingly difficult to find time for a morning routine and get enough sleep. In my 20s, I could wake up after a bad sleep and still function throughout the day. Now, I feel groggy, have brain fog, and am more irritable. The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults over the age of 18 get at least seven hours of sleep each night, but as research shows, it’s not so much the quantity of sleep you get but the quality. As we age, most people have a harder time falling asleep and maintaining high-quality sleep.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as I approach 30, it’s that you can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to. Getting as much sleep as possible has become more important to me than being “that girl” with the 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. packed morning routine. Now, I prioritize my sleep routine: I take magnesium glycinate, avoid bright lights and electronics an hour before bed, and in the mornings, if I’m still tired after when my alarm goes off, I skip my morning routine for an extra hour of sleep.
6. I’m swapping a simple skincare routine for products that support how my skin is changing
The benefit of your 20s is the beautiful bouncy skin that snaps back into shape even after a long night out: no puffiness, under-eye bags, or post-alcohol breakouts (how I long for the days). Throughout my 20s, I was a three-step skincare girl: face wash, moisturizer, and a prescription gel for my rosacea. Occasionally, I’d throw on a face mask for fun or do a facial if I could afford it. As I approach 30, I’ve realized my minimal skincare routine no longer makes the cut. With age, your skin thins and becomes less elastic and more fragile, and fatty tissue just below the skin decreases. You also experience a decrease in natural oils, which may make your skin drier and more prone to fine lines.
Thanks to the plethora of products and a wealth of research, there’s a lot we can do to help our skin feel just as bouncy as it did at 23. I’ve added eye cream and under-eye patches to help combat dark circles. I also wear sunscreen to help prevent premature aging and the risk of skin cancer (which should be done at every age, but I was not consistent with it in my 20s!). I’ve added collagen to my diet, which is the body’s primary building block of your skin. Collagen not only gives structure, strength, and elasticity to your skin, but it also helps new cells grow. Lastly, I make sure to consume lots of water every day to help with increased skin dryness.
Calissa Kirilenko, Breathwork Facilitator & Contributing Wellness Writer
Calissa is a wellness writer for The Everygirl who specializes in covering subjects surrounding mental health, meditation, and self-care. She is also a certified breathwork facilitator and works with clients to heal through the power of their breath.