The “Fuck It I’m 30” Mantra

I’m going a new direction with this blog. Honest, friendly, fun and interesting blogs — all travel and lifestyle topics. Read more about my goal to go back to the blogging basics here.

If you happen to follow this blog on any social media, you might have noticed I turned that fateful age of 30 back in November. The year before I’d publicly set a big list of goals to achieve before turning 30. A lot of them didn’t happen. But you know what? I don’t care.

In the weeks leading up to my 30th birthday, I was lucky to have more than a few friends also celebrate their 30th. Some wore worried, some weren’t. As my birthday approached, I just didn’t care. I had too many other things to think about than “just another birthday.” I was too busy moving apartments, signing contracts, making travel plans, doing business deals and thinking. Always thinking. There was no time to worry about a somewhat symbolic birthday. I had bigger things on my mind.

I still celebrated, of course. There were cocktails and Chinese food, selfie sticks and shower sexcapades. Adventures out exploring Berlin and flea markets and a brunch. Basically: it was a typical weekend. I’m all for celebrating milestones, and maybe if I wasn’t in such a busy state of mind, I would’ve celebrated differently. But god, my 30th birthday was just what I needed—and maybe more importantly, just what I wanted.

As a new expert on living the 30-something life (hah!), I’ve realized something: I just don’t give a damn. Maybe that’s why I’ve got my new take on blogging basics. I want to do what I want to do. And no one’s going to tell me differently. Call it a symptom of being a millennial, I don’t care. Fuck it, I’m 30!

Part of my plan to go back to blogging whatever I care about is because of this new mantra I’ve got. I used to let the blog control more of my actions than I let others believe. I did a lot of things for the sake of the story for the blog. Not anymore! My blog, my stories. Fuck it, I’m 30!

Drinking wine in a Santa hat? Fuck it, I’m 30! ;-)

This new decade of mine is going to be about exploration—just as much as my 20s were. Sure, a lot of my 20s were reckless and fun and crazy. There was a madness there for sure, but there was also a lot of responsibility. Setting up my own business, building up a (semi-?)successful career (twice, actually—once in graphic design and then again a few years later in travel/tourism marketing).

These things weren’t easy and required a lot of time, dedication and work. And I’m happy for it. But goddamn it—I’m 30 now and I want to enjoy things again. I’m at the beginning of a transformation, I can feel it. Maybe it’s finally my quarter-life crisis (if my round-the-world trip wasn’t one already). But I’m ready to explore again. Not just new places, but new things. What is it that they say? “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to find.” Yeah, that thing. I’m lucky enough to have this ability to enjoy life. I’m in a financially secure place, and in a happy place, and, ever since I took off one fateful day to Madrid beginning my trip around the world in 2010, I’ve got this incredible belief that I don’t have to be scared to try new things. Fuck it, I’m 30 and I want to do more. MORE. More — It’s basically my favorite word.

I’ve got this insatiable desire for more. What “more” is, I don’t know. But don’t go thinking the “Fuck it, I’m 30” mantra isn’t about caring. It’s the complete opposite actually. I care so much about so many things, I’m not going to let stupid, little worries stop me from doing what needs to get done, what I want to do. As a proper (and proud) millennial, I’m taking this world I live in and I’m going to make it what I want it to be. Whether that’s on the individual scale or something more grand, that’s still to be seen.

Over the past few weeks while I was in Texas visiting friends and family, I made a point to embrace the “fuck it, I’m 30″ lifestyle. A lot of it spilled out of my mouth like word vomit one late night in Dallas, talking to a strange bearded boy I’d met only hours before. Sitting on the floor of his trendy Oak Cliff apartment, with The Smiths (or maybe it was Joy Division) playing on vinyl, I let it all out. It’s funny how easy it can be to connect with strangers when you’re traveling. But I didn’t care. Talking with him until nearly sunrise, I discovered my desire to speak plainly and openly, to share the things that really matter to me. And to not be afraid of those worries we all hold back. Life is so much more fun when you let your guard down.

Fuck it, I’m 30. There’s more to come. Stay tuned.