This is a guest post by Clara Masters. 

For most of us, turning 30 is a major milestone. Your twenties are officially behind you, and you’ve truly begun to establish yourself as an adult. Your career has probably started to take off, and you might have started a family. Your body will also start to change. For example, you may notice that some areas are not quite as firm as they once were.

It's fair to say that reaching your thirties can trigger a mixture of emotions. The good news? There’s lots of great stuff about reaching your fourth decade. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect:

1. Your self-confidence will improve: Research shows that the typical woman experiences a surge of self-esteem in her thirties, which lasts for several decades. If you have spent a lot of your twenties feeling self-conscious and awkward, this will come as excellent news!

The inevitable mistakes and embarrassment of your twenties are priceless. They teach you to stop caring what other people think and to have more faith in your own judgment. By your thirtieth birthday, you will start to have a better understanding of your own needs and ambitions.

2. Your skin texture starts to change: There’s no getting around the fact that the speed of cell regeneration slows with age. As a child, your skin cells changed every two weeks. Dermatologist Joshua Zeichmer advises that by your thirties, this increases to 28-35 days.

The solution is to exfoliate two to three times each week to restore your skin’s glow. You can also use a facial cleansing brush massager to improve its texture and diminish the signs of ageing. You should also invest in a sunscreen for daily wear.

Although cellulite –dimples of fat that appear under skin – occurs in women of all ages, it may become more noticeable. Fortunately, regular exercise and weight loss can help. You can improve the appearance of your skin using a cellulite massager.

3. You need to decide whether you want children: If you haven’t already made the decision, now is the time to think about starting a family. Female fertility sharply declines in the mid-thirties, so it’s best to start trying to conceive early if you want children.

Remember, pregnancy and birth are hard on your body. Try to get in shape and reach a healthy weight before getting pregnant. If you are in a relationship and can’t agree whether to have children, it may be time to part ways. This can be painful, but can also herald a wonderful period of personal growth.

4. You realize that you might have lost some old friends: Along with your mind and body, your social life will also undergo changes. It’s normal to drift away from old friends, especially as life becomes busier with career, relationship, and family-related concerns. However, there is nothing to stop you making new friends as an adult.

5. You understand the importance of self-love: Family and friends are wonderful, but you cannot depend on them for validation. In your thirties, you will start to realize that the only approval you need is your own. It’s time to love yourself just as you are, warts and all.

If accepting yourself is difficult, print out some love yourself quotes and review them daily. Seek out therapy if you are still struggling with issues around self-image, mood, or a loss of direction.

Turning 30 is nothing to fear. Our teens and twenties are usually fraught with insecurity and angst. Leaving them behind is a wonderful opportunity for a fresh start. Enjoy the renewed confidence and purpose this decade will bring. If you take care of your body and mind, you will keep feeling young for a long time yet.


Author Bio

This is a guest post by Melisa Marzett. 

The internet is awash with suggestions on how to get out of one's comfort zone, declaring that it is possible to achieve anything in life as long as one is able to move past their fears.

Every person, either consciously or not, strives for balance and harmony. Every time we happen to be out of our comfort zone, a shattered system changes, redevelops, but strives to get back to the state of rest, comfort, and harmony. We get out of our comfort zone in order to come up with its new version, the desired one. 

A STEP INTO CHANGE 

In order to develop, people are to feel discomfort from early childhood. For example, so a little one can walk by itself, s/he needs to let mummy`s hand go and, overcoming fear, make several steps.

However, it is important to understand that the child will go only when s/he is ready to go physically and when the need is formed. What would happen if the child rushed to walk before s/he was ready? The child will fall down.

Taking this simple example, one can see that development is a natural need, a step forward, and a step out of the comfort zone should flow out of an inner and irresistible strive for changes. 

SEARCH OF SENSE

Sometimes being within comfort is not a senseless waste of time, as it is oftentimes described by followers of endless changes, but more likely a natural and healthy need.

In order to keep the balance, it is important to realize one's own limits and possibilities and to know what provides comfort and how to enter the zone. It is perfect to be able to use both “zones” relying on the image of one`s own desires and resources so life does not turn into a battle field. 
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FIND OUT WHY

If you feel that outside strife makes you want to get out of your comfort zone, (for example, other people thoughts) ask yourself why you are feeling this way.

​If you feel that you do not want to move outside of your comfort zone at this moment because success for you is being within the balance and comfort of now, do not torture yourself, striving for constant development. It's okay to enjoy harmony.

We hear everywhere that it is time to get out of our comfort zones, that the time has come to move beyond our limitations. But it is important to know that no one has the power to make you leave the boundaries of your comfort zone or to remain inside.

Psychologists themselves discuss whether it is worth it to have a client leave one`s comfort zone or if it is better to follow his/her wishes to remain on a comfortable and safe feeling level.

IN THE C ZONE

So what are some reasons one should consider when deciding to move outside of her comfort zone?

1. A person getting out of a common zone is able to develop and to strive for development and is eager to achieve goals.

2. S/he is driven by a desire to become stronger than fear and to move beyond, "What if I cannot do it?"

3. A person who is able to get out of his/her comfort zone is capable of seeing a problem from different angles. Such a person is more stress-resistant, more likely to be an optimist, satisfied with oneself, and has an adequate self-esteem.

4. The one who remains in the comfort zone does not strive for development. Being within the zone blocks a curiosity and interest.​