13 Life Upgrades To Make Before You Turn 30

Plants bring life to any space. Watching them grow as you do will be really rewarding.

If you value organic food and supporting your local community, a co-op is a great way to be involved in the sustainability movement. You'll also meet your neighbors and get delicious produce out of it.

Having a savings really comes in handy when emergencies come up. Also, the sooner you start saving for retirement, the better.

Traveling alone can teach you a lot about yourself. Plan a solo trip before you turn 30 to a destination you've always wanted to go.

Personally branding is so important even if you aren't planning on being a social media influencer — in today's day and age, everyone who's on the internet has a personal brand to share. Companies are looking at job candidates' online profiles before they ever meet them in person, so make sure your branding is saying what you want it to say.

Everyone has a cause they're passionate about. Before you turn 30, find an organization you love and use some of your time to volunteer. It's a great way to meet people who have the same values as you, and make a simple but effective change in your community.

Learning about your family history can teach you a lot about yourself. Before your 30th birthday, sit down with the elders in your family and get as much knowledge about your ancestors as possible.

Cooking is a basic survival skill that everyone needs to have. Try limiting eating out to only once a week, and make a resolution to follow a new recipe a night. It'll make you hone your skills in the kitchen so you're not 30 and still ordering Seamless every day.

You never know when you'll need to communicate with someone who doesn't speak your first language. Learning another language can open up a whole new world of possibilities for you in your 30s.

Having a one-of-a-kind piece of art is a great way to show off your personality, bring something special to your home decorations, and support working artists. Absolut Art is a platform that showcases emerging artists and lets you shop for (fairly affordable) art online, but you can find amazing artists selling their work everywhere — try your Instagram feed.

As you progress through your career, you're going to have to negotiate. Knowing how to negotiate well could be difference between being underpaid and being adequately compensated for your time, expertise, and labor. Don't lose out.

If you only date a certain type of person, you may be missing out on someone you could be really compatible with. Before you turn 30, take a risk and date someone who doesn't fit exactly into the idea of a "perfect partner."

Turning 30 doesn't mean you can't have fun and do the things you enjoyed as a kid. Read a YA novel, play with a dog. Aren't we all just kids walking around in adult bodies anyway?

#Adulting can feel hard to do, but life upgrades aren't. Changing small aspects of your life can make a major impact, but you won't know until you try. Here's to 30 being your best year yet.