In the last 30 years I’ve seen my country becoming a member of the European Union, the fall of the Berlin wall, my beautiful city organizing the Olympic Games. I remember what happened on September the 11th 2001 in the city of New York (USA). I’ve seen the world waving goodbye to lady Diana of Wales, Mario Benedetti or Pope John Paul II. I’ve experienced what it is like to share a new currency, the euro, in a continent. I’ve been also fortunate enough to enjoy a law that prohibits smoking in most places (finally!). And very recently I’ve seen my football team becoming the best of the world (for me it already was, but now it is official).
On a more personal side, I’ve learned a lot as well. And it made me think about the things you should know before you turn 30. You may agree, disagree or none of the above. It is just a disorganized list, some thoughts that I’ve gathered and put together for my special day. I hope you enjoy the reading!
30 things you should know before you turn 30 years old:
1) Stay away from people that can’t smile.
2) If you are truly convinced of what you are doing is the right thing, don’t let anybody tell you the opposite. Your destiny is yours, nobody else’s.
3) You have to be passionate about the things you like. If you love a book, read it more than once. If you love a singer, buy its music. If you love a movie, learn its dialogue by heart. There’s no other way to live life fully.
4) Learn to have time just for you, alone, and to have some secrets. Some things you can’t tell anyone.
5) You can’t leave your problems behind. You will move to Siberia and your problems will relocate with you.
6) There are some things that you just have to face in life. So learn to stand up and fight as soon as possible.
7) Most of times the correct decision will be the hardest one. Get used to it, because that’s the way you have to lead your life, taking the correct decisions.
8) Be honest with yourself. When you’re wrong, there’s only one way out, and that’s saying: “I’m wrong”.
9) Don’t lose your time with the wrong people. Your significant one should make you extremely happy, your friends should be happy with your good news and sad with the bad ones, and your family should support and care for you no matter what. If that’s not case… change those people, and consider yourself very lucky, because your life will be much better after the change.
10) Don’t let your pride or egocentrism interfere in your decisions.
11) Learn from other’s mistakes. That will save you a lot of time and suffering.
12) You will probably have to survive through really difficult or particularly ugly experiences. Since that is inevitable, learn something about it. If not, you are suffering a lot… in vain.
13) People often mistake lust or sex with love.
14) Involve yourself in projects that you can develop on your own. If you get extra help, always remember to be thankful.
15) Learn to say “I’m sorry”… and mean it. And also never forget the magic words: “please” and “thank you”.
16) Don’t try to fix somebody else’s problems. Instead, help yourself in fixing yours.
17) Sometimes you have to lead, other times you have to follow. Choose the appropriate moment for each.
18) Always be ready to learn something new from anybody, friend or foe.
19) Laugh out loud now and then. If someone doesn’t like it, then stay away from that horrible person.
20) Doctor House is right: everybody lies. At least, try not to lie to yourself too often.
21) You are who you are, never forget it.
22) We all need somebody at some point. Be ready to be ignored by those that you consider best friends, and also be thankful for the help or time that some others will dedicate to you, unexpectedly. And remember the lesson: if somebody needs you, and you truly appreciate that person, leave everything and go to him/her.
23) Being shy, coward or lazy are unacceptable excuses.
24) Do not expect anybody else to fix your problems. Grow up before you turn 20 and be in charge of your own life.
25) Time puts everything in place. It may need 20, 25 or 40 years, but it will put everything in place.
26) It’s better to have a religion than none.
27) Only worry about the things that should truly worry you, and never before they happen (unless you want to waste your life being miserable about what may happen in 2023…).
28) Be ready for any surprise, good or bad. Life gives and takes, takes and gives.
29) Observe people. It’s easy to know things just by observing. Be sensitive (and sensible) with the
information you may gather.
30) Never ever surrender, but really: never.
And remember these words from Martin Luther King Jr.:
"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?'. Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?'. But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?'. And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right."
