In 48hours time I turn 30. I know, I can’t believe it either. In the run up to entering the next decade of my life I have been doing a lot of reflecting and that’s what has led me to writing this piece.

My Mum and I had a good chat the other day about turning 30 and how I was feeling about it. I was surprised to learn that my Mum struggled with her thirtieth birthday. I was surprised because she had everything 7 year old Alix aspired to have – marriage, 3 children and a lovely house. For me growing up, these were incredibly important to me and to an extent they still are but I am so incredibly thankful that I haven’t met my person yet because I have achieved so much more in the past decade than I may have done if I settled down at an earlier age.

For those people who know me or have read my previous blog posts, you will know my twenties were not easy by any stretch of the imagination. I have experienced some incredible highs but some serious lows which led me to rock bottom and there were concerns that I wouldn’t even be here to celebrate my thirtieth due to the seriousness of my depression and anxiety. I read a quote recently and it spoke to me ‘I am thankful for every day I wake up’. It is inevitable that there are days when I feel utter rubbish or my anxiety is uncontrollable or I don’t want to get out of bed but I am still here to experience it and for that alone, I am determined to enter my thirties with a much more positive mindset knowing I am going to achieve my teaching degree and the world is my oyster.

My twenties have been an adventure and I am so extremely proud of everything I have achieved. Sure there are things that I would rather forget about but that’s what makes me human and I recently started a ‘cringe box’ in which I write down something that I would rather forget about and stash it away. For me writing throughout my twenties has been such a help and it is now a habit that I will continue with. I didn’t think I enjoyed writing as much as I do, but it is one of my many forms of therapy. From writing this blog to keeping a journal and dream diary, writing my thoughts and feelings down means my mind feels lighter and that can only be a good thing.

Because I couldn’t complete my 30 things to do before I’m 30 (thanks Covid), I am going to create a list of 30 things I am proud of myself for doing/achieving throughout my twenties. This is an incredibly varied list and it isn’t in any particular order. I was going to try and write the list in accordance to what year things took place but things have just blended together so here we go…

1. Graduated from York St. John University
2. Travelled to Australia
3. Travelled to New Zealand
4. Travelled to Sri Lanka on a group tour and saw Indian elephants roaming in the National Parks.
5. Volunteered with Archelon in Kyparissia, Greece
6. Travelled around Greece
7. Completed my TEFL course
8. Lived and worked in Italy for 12months
9. Got accepted into university to complete my PGCE
10. Awarded Volunteer of the Year – Staffordshire Rugby
11. Completed my Level 2 Rugby Coaching Award
12. Set up the first girl’s rugby section at Walsall RFC
13. Awarded Volunteer of the Year- Staffordshire Rugby
14. Learnt to play my Ukulele
15. Acknowledged and have continued to seek help for my mental health
16. Did the Nevis Swing in Queenstown, New Zealand
17. Left a job that was making me incredibly miserable despite the financial benefits and no back up plan
18. Learnt Italian (not great but I could order drinks, book a table at a restaurant, swear proficiently and ask/answer basic questions – it got me by )
19. Acknowledged which friends were good and which were bad for me and made the difficult decision to distance myself from those people.
20. Started to feel comfortable within myself and like who I am
21. Having the courage to start this blog
22. Got my first tattoo
23. Had my nose pierced (parents were not keen but they have grown to like it)
24. Read more and choose a wider variety of books (eg. started Gone with the Wind 3 weeks ago and still plodding my way through it- determined not to give up)
25. Started going to yoga classes and learnt to meditate.
26. Treated my parents and myself to a meal at Purnell’s Restaurant in Birmingham
27. Survived a very intense lockdown in Italy and managed to avoid insanity- dancing to Stronger by Britney Spears using the mop as a microphone doesn’t count
28. Bought tickets for my parents, brother and I to go to the World Cup Semi-Final Match in Cardiff.
29. Went to my first festival (it may have only been for a day but it still counts, right?!)
30. Started a virtual walking challenge ‘Land’s End to John O’Groats’ in January and am still going strong (walked 514.08km so far)

So there you have it, my top thirty things I am proud of myself for doing/achieving during my twenties. I am so ready to start my next chapter. Come on thirties, let’s see what you’ve got in store!