Last week I turned 30. Now for anybody who’s older than 30, you’re probably chuckling because you think it’s silly that I’m fretting this number. And for anybody under 30, you’re probably thinking, wow…that’s old. But one that has happened is the amount of times I’ve been asked, how does it feel to be 30.

Traditionally, by the time you turned 30, society would say that you should have had a career now for a good 5 years, married for a while, probably have at least 2 kids, a house, 2 cars and let’s just throw in a pet as well. Well, somewhere along the line, I missed that memo or ignored it. And prior to this birthday, I was a little panicked that I hadn’t really accomplished any of these items, but couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t doing anything and by no means had lived a lazy life.

It was only recently that I’ve truly started understand the saying, “Comparison is the killer of joy.” And it applies exactly to this. I had spent so long looking at other people’s lives seeing what they had and thinking that was the norm and how it was suppose to go, consequently killing the joy I had from my life experiences and squandering the importance of them and how they’ve made me who I am today.

So over the past week, I’ve thought about the things that I’ve been able to accomplish in the past 30 years of my life and how each one, good and bad, has shaped my life and my being, and at the same time, has made me feel better and more comfortable with where I am in life. In fact, I relish the idea that because of where I am right now, I’ve been able to do and experience a lot.

My List of 30 things in 30 Years:

1. I learned how to drive a motorcycle
2. Spent 5 weeks living in Beijing, China during a study-abroad program which included spending 3 days hiking along the Great Wall of China on the Mongolian border
3. Have had to ask for help (big help) from family
4. Have seen almost all 50 states (only missing Alaska and Hawaii)
5. Have been terribly sick and in pain, but also have been in some of the best shape of my life as well
6. Obtained my Bachelor’s of Arts in Art History and an Associates in Graphic Design
7. Will be marrying my best friend in October
8. Have been in love and have had a broken heart
9. Lived deep in the heart of a metropolis and have also lived in suburbia
10. Been white water rafting on numerous occasions
11. Lived through middle school with braces and glasses (they what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger…)
12. Have lived in a dorm, lived with friends, crappy apartments, good apartments, moved back in with parents and now live with my significant other
13. Been in a car accident
14. Have run (and completed) two marathons
15. Have made friends in elementary school to college that are still dear friends
16. Traveled on my own, traveled for business, traveled with friends and traveled with my family
17. Experienced the worst job ever and now have one of the best jobs ever
18. Have driven across the country on more than one occasion (which doesn’t include the family vacations during elementary school where we drove everywhere… literally everywhere)
19. Stayed in some of the worst and best hotels
20. Was able to have relationships with all my grandparents before two of them passed away
21. Have experienced death of people, grandparents, high school classmates, young adults, friends’ husbands and moms
22. Have traveled to over 10 foreign countries
23. Currently have 7 tattoos
24. Have seen the sunrise after full nights of studying, nights out with friends and by choice over amazing landscapes
25. Have swam in both the Pacific and Atlantic ocean
26. Know what it’s like to lose friends over the years
27. Worked as a barista for too many years (can still make a latte with my eyes closed practically)
28. Have gone zip lining through a rain forest canopy
29. Have hiked to the top of mountains
30. Have had days, weeks and months of complete confidence, as well as days, weeks and months of complete brokenness

So I encourage anyone who’s feeling like they’re not where they feel like they should be in life, no matter what age you are, to sit down and create a list for yourself. What have you accomplished, what have you done and experienced, what are you proud of, or what have been pivotal moments in your own life. And I promise, after creating that list, you realize that you are exactly where you’re suppose to be and that your life would be way less interesting and fulfilling to you if you hadn’t done any of that.