30 Lessons I Learned Before My 30th Birthday

1. 
   
   
   Someone is extremely excited about turning 30 in just few more weeks! No kidding I’ve been looking forward to enter my thirties since I celebrated my 29th birthday in South Africa. There’s this expectation that we have to freak out and hit the panic button when we approach the big 3-o. Life gets super serious the moment you say goodbye to your sweet twenties , plus not to mention the pressure to settle down, get a stable job, etc but. While everyday is a new opportunity to grow and begin again, why can’t we embrace our 30s? It’s a milestone to celebrate, a new beginning. I don’t know what my thirties gonna be like but personally I have a good feeling life’s just gonna get better from here. #lifebeginsat30
   
   
   More than anything I am beyond grateful that I get to make the most of my twenties. You know they say “Your 20s are the best years of your life!” I couldn’t agree more. Most of my dreams came true. Growing up, I always wanted to travel the world and work overseas with bunch of creative people from different backgrounds in entertainment industry. Life make it happen for me, every single day. In the past 10 years I have lived and worked in different countries. From a beautiful resort in Malaysia to the happiest place on earth in Florida then the coolest music company in Singapore. I travel, fail, cry, laugh, lose a lot. I watched numerous of sunsets from Africa to Asia to Europe then America. But my twenties are so much more than places I visited. I went through a beautiful metamorphosis. I learn how to overcome my fear of failure, how to rise up after life knocks me down. I learn how to enjoy the journey, to trust the process, to appreciate little things. I met so many wonderful and inspiring people. I’ve grown a lot… Life doesn’t get easier but you just get stronger. Before I’m off to celebrate life, I thought I wanted to share 30 lessons I learned before my 30th birthday.    
   
   1. Be grateful
   I can’t even begin to describe how gratitude has changed my life for the better. Gratitude makes me a lot happier, strengthens my faith, turns my dream into reality. Gratitude also improves my health, career, emotions, and relationships. It attracts good people into my life, makes me less self-centered. For the past few years I have this habit of writing down things I am thankful for before I go to bed and the first thing I do when I wake up. Always count your blessings, even on our worst days we have plenty to be thankful for. You can be anything in this world, but just dont be ungrateful.
   
   2. Self love
   
   Self love is a process. It takes a long journey, practice, courage, time, strength to love your mess…to accept your imperfections, to start over, to walk away from bad people/relationships. To choose yourself again and again. To keep going, to forgive yourself and move on. The past few years I learned to walk away more from things that no longer serves me, from people that treated me less than what I deserve…to simply choose myself, love myself better.
   
   3. Do the hard things
   
   I believe in the harder you work, the luckier you get. Do the hard things people won’t do so you can get to places most people can’t go. Unfortunately there are no shortcuts to success. With hard work, gratitude, faith and positive attitude…anything is possible!
   
   4. Let go
   
   The truth is letting go is hard. But when you strong enough to let go, you create space for something better.
   
   5. Dream big  
2. It all started with a dream. A dream to perform on stage, to work at Disney, to make positive changes in music industry, to be a tour guide, pole dancer, music editor, writer, photographer, to travel the world, and many more. I am grateful my life has been a series of thousands of tiny miracles and dreams come true. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies, but despite of the long, hard journey to get there, and sometimes I just can’t quite understand the way life works…but with faith and dream, you will eventually get there.
   
   6. Adventure is out there!
   
   Travel has taught me a lot of things. I can write essay just to describe how travel has changed my life, it is a privilege and I am so grateful in the past 10 years I get to experience and see so much of the world. Nothing beats watching sunsets in different countries, hiking alone and have a long conversation with yourself and the universe. If something good happens, travel to celebrate it. If something wrong happens, travel to forget. If nothing happens, travel to make it happen.
   
   7. It may take a while but what’s meant for you will always find its way to you.
   
   It may take a lot of patience, a lot of overcoming challenges, a lot of moments of despair and a lot of heartbreaks, but what’s meant for you will always be worth the wait. It may take a while but what’s meant for you will not mistakenly be given to someone else. God doesn’t give someone else your piece of the cake. So rest assured, that if something is meant for you, even if the whole world is competing for it, it will be yours and yours only. What’s meant for us will always stay, despite all challenges, despite all difficulties and despite all opposition.
   
   8. Enjoy the process, not destination
   
   Good things take time, effort, perseverance.
   
   9. No regrets, only lessons learned
   
   10.Stay curious, stay foolish, stay humble
   
   Don’t ever lose your inner child. I am grateful my curiosity has led me to meet some of the most interesting people in some of the most incredible places.
   
   11. Never chase, never beg for love
   
   If theres’s one thing life has taught me, it is love, worthwhile love, should never make you quiet your heartbeat. It should never be something you beg for. Because if a man really loves and wants you, he will pursue you. When it’s more pain than joy, respect yourself enough to walk away, focus on your life. Do your things. Never go in search of love, go in search of life and life will find you the love you seek.
   
   12. Just do it!
   
   Few months ago I released my first travel zine. It wasn’t perfect, but one thing I learn that if you wait for the perfect time, it will never happen. Just do it, even though it’s not perfect, you’ll learn along the way. I learn how to market my book with very little budget, how can I do better next time, how to reach out to more people, how to tell story through photography. I learn that it’s totally ok to make a mistake and if you don’t succeed at the first time, remember JK Rowling. You already win if you decide to try. At the end of the day, i just want to put my work out there and help people. Next time you find yourself want to do something really bad but too scared to start, to fail…honestly just do it. Start where are you are, even if it’s just one tiny baby step.
   
   13. Love what you do, do what you love. Never stop exploring, evolving, improving yourself.
   
   14. Nothing lasts forever
   
   Enjoy the moment, appreciate simple things in life. Even if life knocks you down and you feel like giving up, be patient… this too shall pass.
   
   15. She reinvented herself once, so she can reinvent herself all over again
   
   I am a creative thinker, life-enthusiast, creator. A tour guide, a writer, a music editor, a photographer, a performer, a student, a dreamer, a teacher, a personal assistant, a business development staff, a lover, a daughter, a strong and independent woman, a pole dancer, a Disney cast member, a wanderluster… I think it’s super fun when you can see life as a giant playground and you create the kind of life you want to live, pick your dream role or dream job and work hard to make it happen. When you learn to focus on your future self, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve and be.
   
   16.  Never settle for less. Because the moment you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for. Believe that life will only give you the best.
   
   17. Read more, write more
   
   I am currently working on my book, something that I’ve always wanted to do for so long. Writing is hard, it is honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life but also I am proud and extremely happy every time I get to sit and pour all my thoughts, my heart into words. Writing just like other things in life requires a discipline, process, perseverance, hard work. I challenge myself to write at least one page per day. Just one step at a time.
   
   18.A job is just a job
   
   I learn even though a job gives you nice salary, helps you to pay the rent and those pretty clothes or vacation you want, but when you no longer can find a room to grow, you feel unhappy, stuck, anxiety or worse, breakdown…just let it go. Anything that costs you your peace is too expensive. Just like anything else in life, a job can come and go. Always choose growth over comfort. Nothing lasts forever, the only thing constant in life is change.
   
   19. Dance your heart out
   
   “Dance. Shimmy your shoulders, wiggle your fingers, and pull up your knees. Dance under the moon, over the earth, inside, outside, wherever you are. Your ideas, your dreams, your sensations; dance every one. Lift your arms to the air, step lightly step hard. Pirouette for the crowds, demi plie for yourself. Dance with cats and dogs and strangers and friends; and when you think you have finished, start dancing again.”
   
3. I discovered my love for pole dancing few years ago when a good friend of mine showed me her pictures pole dancing with 9 inch heels. I thought that was badass, sexy, and strong in the same time. Pole dance taught me to be strong, how to pick up myself over and over again, to be more comfortable in my own skin.
   
   20. You don’t have to like everyone and not everyone will like you. Be you, do you.
   
   21. Manifestation is REAL
   
   “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”-Paulo Coelho
   
   You can do anything you put your mind to. Tell the universe what you want, be specific, have faith and be ready to receive.
   
   22. Success for me is being brave to get up after you fail. Have courage and strength to try again, to keep going, do above and beyond to find ways to make your dreams come true. Always love what you do, do what you love.
   
   23. Give back
   
   I learn that you have superpower to make a difference. To be a part of positive changes and inspire others. Sometimes it doesn’t cost a thing or takes so much effort to give back and help people. Through my jobs at Disney I learned to educate and inspire people through music and culture. Being a music editor also allows me to collaborate with creators, discover new artists and help them to promote their music. I still find it hard to believe I get to inspire and entertain people through good contents, good playlists, good music. Find your strength and passion, if you can use your passion to serve other people…well, that’s even better.
   
   24. People come into your life for a reason, a season, or lifetime
   
   People come into our lives to serve different purposes. You’ll realise there’s a role for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you, some will love you, some will teach you. And when it’s their turn to leave, don’t be sad that it’s over. Be glad that it happened.
   
   25. Invest more in experience and people
   
   26. Everyone has their own timing. Trust the timing of your life. Relax, no rush.
   
   27. Be proud of how far you’ve come. Have faith in how far you can go.
   
   Sometimes we’re too hard on ourselves that we forget to celebrate how far we’ve come. It’s not an arrogant thing to say we’re proud of ourselves and how far we’ve come.
   
   Also sometimes the bravest thing you can tell yourself when you can’t even get up and almost giving up is simply “It’s okay to fall. It’s okay to lose. It’s okay to fail. It’s okay…” You’re a human, it’s totally okay to feel low and cry if you have to. But you can’t quit ! You didn’t come this far to only come this far! The option to give up doesn’t even exist. Gotta keep going, gotta keep trying. Even if the only thing you want to do is stay in bed all day with a little hope you can get over this and eventually find your strength and rise again, well do it…Take your time.
   
   28. Be kind
   
   In a world where you can be anything…be kind. And spread love.
   
   29. I am enough. I am kind. I am beautiful. I am strong. I am bright. I am love.
   
   30. Be fabulous. Be bold. Shine bright. Stay classy. I personally believe in the power of red lipstick and pretty clothes. Treat yourself often, even if it’s just for a cup of coffee.