In your younger years, you naively thought 30 was old. And in your 20’s, you dreaded leaving behind what you thought was the best decade of your life. Turning 30 meant saying goodbye to clubbing, binge drinking and wild antics with your friends. But now that you’re on the other side of 30, you will find many reasons why this decade will be your best yet.

Here are 10 reasons why life in your 30’s is better than it was in your 20’s.

1. Your guilt gauge for staying in Saturday night reads zero.

Gone are the days where you feel pressured into going out and having fun. Even if you enjoyed those outings, evenings spent at home with a book or a show suddenly contain a sparkly allure they lacked in your 20’s. Now, a Saturday night at home is a true delight!

2. You don’t care what people think about you.

…And you actually mean it. In your younger years, you would say with an air of indignation that you don’t care what others think about you. It was a verbal bandage to cover up the pain and paranoia that was the truth—you really did care. But now…? You’re done living other people’s lives and turns out, your own life is pretty amazing. You’ve learned that your own opinion of yourself is what truly matters.

3. You have fewer but better friends.

The quantity of friends you have has shrunk, but for a good reason: the quality—it has dramatically improved. You’ve weeded out the flakes, frauds and toxic schmucks, and the relationships with the friends you’ve kept are comfortable, deep and enjoyable. These people build you up rather than tear you down—they enrich your life rather than destroy it.

4. Your wisdom shows and is sought after.

You feel like a sage wizard when you impart knowledge to younger folks. And you find that more so than when you were in your 20’s, adults younger than you will come to you for advice.  When you spend most of your 20’s bumbling around just trying to figure out how adult life works, the fact that you are suddenly looked up to in your 30’s comes as a pleasant surprise.

5. You gladly accept your body as is.

Got curves? Great! Super tall? Awesome! Thin as a rail? Perfect! Now that you’re in your 30’s, society’s body standards are no longer your concern. You’re comfortable in your own skin and you’re more interested in exercising for health rather than to look a certain way. What a relief to have that burden off your shoulders!

6. You enjoy alcohol in a different way.

Binge drinking with strangers are a nightclub isn’t your idea of fun. You’re content with one glass of wine at home or with friends at a restaurant, you can hold your liquor better, and you can actually enjoy the taste of alcohol. (Bolde) And oddly enough, looking back, drinking until you puke was never as cracked up as it seemed to be.

7. Sex is better!

Your 20’s offered you practice in this arena, and now that you’re more comfortable with who you are, your sexual experiences have become higher quality. Plus, women apparently reach their sexual peak in their 30’s and men, with their jaws becoming more defined, grow more handsome. Time to turn up the heat!

8. You’re strong.

…So amazingly strong. You’ve been through some doozies in your 20’s and it has shaped you into the adult you are today. You know to not sweat the small stuff and you know how to better handle the big stuff. Your past has prepared you how to deal with future struggles that may come your way.

9. Your confidence is booming.

Now that you have a much keener sense of your place in this world, you are unstoppable. More so than ever, you know what you want and you’re not afraid to go after it. Old hang-ups about your personality traits matter less. You look to yourself, rather than others, to define who you are, and you are happy being you.

10. You’re not a poser.

You no longer pretend to like something just because it’s trendy. Even if someone you admire and respect oozes with excitement over it and it’s not your thing, you are confident enough to respectfully voice your own opinion. You realize life is short and you don’t have time to waste pretending to like the clothes, internet memes, and music that is popular today. Good for you!

Sources:
BT
Bright Side
Cosmopolitan
Bolde