My 30 Things List: Part 1

Remember my blog about reading 30 things every woman should know and do before she's 30?  I read this book while laying under an umbrella on a beach on Costa Rica.  And it prompted me to make my own list.  I've been working on it for a couple of months trying to get it in final form, and I've finally finished it.  My plan is to unveil the list a few items at a time for the next 7 months, and then publish the final list near my 30th birthday.

So, we'll kick this off with the first 5 items that every woman should know/have by the time she's 30 (according to me!)

Every Woman Should Know...

The difference between politics and people.

I have blogged about this before, but I firmly believe that there is a difference between politics and people.  And if you ask me, what matters more is how you treat the people, politics aside.  What's important is that you are respectful, kind, compassionate, and loving to others.  Regardless of their politics, and regardless of yours.

I have friends who are gay.  I have friends who don't believe in God.  I have friends who are pro-choice and pro-life.  I have friends that are OU fans for crying out loud. Just because I may not share their beliefs does not mean that I can't be friends with them.  That I can't respect them.  That I can't love them.  And I think that this is a realization that every woman should come to.

This picture is unrelated but it has a heart in it, so good enough.
San Francisco / 2008 / Girls' Weekend

"Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." 

That it's okay to want things and go after them.

I don't know where this comes from, but I think a lot of women (myself included) have a hard time feeling justified in wanting certain things.  We have to know that it's okay to want things---big things.  It's okay to have big, crazy, wild dreams.  We should never apologize for that.  Instead, we should embrace those goals and our determination and go for it.

SF Half Marathon / 2011

"Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."  ~Marianne Williamson

Every Woman Should Have...

A good pair of heels and the ability to walk in them.

You have to realize that I grew up the biggest tomboy that you've ever met.  I mean I lived at least a decade of my life in jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt.  DECADE.  Thank goodness that I've grown out of that at least a little bit and now enjoy a cute pair of heels and a skirt.  I don't think a woman has to wear heels every day, but I do think that every woman should have a good pair of heels that make her feel confident and beautiful and like she is ready to take on the world.  Oh, and if you get these shoes, please learn to walk in them.  Because goodness gracious, there is nothing worse than a girl in heels walking like a duck.

"Life is short.  Buy the shoes."

Go-to songs for every event

I love music.  I've pretty much got a radio or cd or an iPod playing non-stop.  A girl needs to have a list of go-to, never fail songs for certain situations that are going to pop up in her life.  Here are the ones that I've come up with.

Weddings:  The Bride by Trick Pony (please note that I'm a single girl before you put this one on your wedding play list)

Break Up:  So Good Without You by Jessie James

Dancing:  Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (if I'm dance partying it by myself); Ain't Goin' Down 'Til The Sun Comes Up by Garth Brooks (if I can dance with my brother...we're seriously killer good at this song)

Sad: Cry Out to Jesus by Third Day; Homesick by Mercy Me

Love:  Feet Don't Touch the Ground by Stoney LaRue; Hey Pretty Girl by Kip Moore


A cause that she is passionate about.

As you've read before, one of my main causes is Make-a-Wish, for which I volunteer as a wish granter.  I don't care what it is, every woman needs to find something that she is passionate about and that she believes in.  And the beauty of this is that we do not all have to pick the same thing.  Some of us might want to volunteer at a dog shelter, some want to go do mission work in Africa, some want to serve at a soup kitchen in the inner city, some coach 4-H judging teams.  I firmly believe that God places different desires and pulls on each of our hearts.  And I think He does that because he cares about all of these things, and that's the best way to be sure that attention gets paid to all of them.

"Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours.  Give me open hands and open doors.  Put Your light in my eyes and let me see,that my own little world is not about me."  ~Matthew West

Stay tuned next month for my next 5 items!