10 Things Women Shouldn't Do after Thirty

Gone are the times when a woman was practically compelled to give up all things enjoyable after thirty and forced to get ‘serious’. Now thirties are the fun years when women can bask in their hard-won emotional and financial assurance after years of experimenting. And yet there are certain things that women should lay off after turning thirty since these are unlikely to contribute to either their physical or emotional well-being.
 

Pick up guys in bars

After more than a decade of dating, you should by now have a fair idea of the guy you will be most compatible with. So stop spending all your weekends scrounging bars in the mistaken hope that you will meet your soul-mate in a haze of cigarette smoke. Rather decide what type of guy you want for a relationship and then go to places where he is most likely to be found. If you want a successful professional as a life-partner, attend workshops and seminars or sign up for a refresher course in business networking. On the other hand if you want a guy who shares your passion for music or art, browse through galleries, museums or join hobby clubs devoted to such interests.

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Change jobs ever so often

If you are yet to decide on your line of work, you are fast running out of time. Decide what you like doing best and see what related professional options pay you best. In fact this is also the time you should be clear whether money or job satisfaction matters more since your choice of career could vary in either case. If all this seems too much, don’t be shy of seeking help from a career counselor. There is no rule which says you should be engaged in the same profession for the whole of your life, but once you find your vocation, earning a living will be both emotionally and financially rewarding.
 

Say no to everything your parents say

By thirty, you should be past rebelling against your parents just for the thrill of saying no. There is a time in every teen’s life when he or she wants to see how much they can get away with pushing their parents but after thirty, such behavior reeks of immaturity and insecurity. Rather look for ways to reconnect and bond with your family since they are the main reasons why you are an educated and healthy person today. Even if your family has been less than supporting, try to make peace with them – after all no one, not even parents are perfect.
 

Try to keep up with your BFF's purchases

Time was when you simply had to have that pair of shoes or makeup because your BFF had it. But by this stage you should be past such childish competition. Apart from the fact that trying to keep up with the Helens or Katies will drain away your finances, it will also imprison you forever in the vicious circle of consumerism. So learn to separate your needs and wants and try to find satisfaction in interests like music, cuisine and travel.
 

Hold a grudge against someone

So this girl may have wronged you in high school or made a nasty remark in the piano class when you were a teen, but holding a grudge against someone for more five years is taking things a bit too far. So if you happen to meet her at the airport or receive a friend request from her on facebook, be gracious and polite. You need not go out of your way to be friendly but learning to let go of the past will definitely make you feel better.
 

Have a crush on a guy from high school

This is another thing you should stop doing for the same reason as above. If the guy has not bothered to find you out and meet up for these seven to eight years now, chances are that he never will. There’s no point stalk him on social networking websites. While most of us like to revel in bitter-sweet memories of the past, be careful not to confuse nostalgia with misplaced hopes. Moving on will not only help you feel lighter but more importantly open you up to many relationship options in the present, which you may have been ignoring till now.
 

Get hammered on a regular basis

Drinking binges are never good for anyone – not at any time or at any age. However once you are thirty, you should have put behind you the experimental stage of your life when you play about with alcohol or worse drugs. If you are still going on drinking binges, it could be a sign that there is some deep dissatisfaction in your life which you are trying to blot out with your substance abuse. Get yourself in order and if necessary seek the help of a counselor to get rid of potentially life-threatening addictions.
 

Smoke like a chimney

Rarely a day goes by which does not bring a new media report on the health hazards posed by smoking. Apart from the medical research which proves smoking as one of the main causes of lung, throat and tongue cancers, the nicotine stick has also been linked to a wide variety of health problems ranging from cardiac diseases to infertility, breast cancer and rapid aging. When the body is young, it can heal faster from the negative effects of nicotine abuse but after thirty, it is more difficult to repair the constant damage done by smoking.
 

Live paycheck to paycheck

Ok, so you work hard the whole week and believe that this is reason enough to party hard over the weekends. However living from one paycheck to the next may have been more acceptable when you were in your twenties. Once you enter the thirties, it is time to pay more attention to your future. And if you are to live comfortably and enjoy your later years, it is time you start saving from now. Blowing up your paycheck on dresses, cosmetics, booze and partying will keep you from building up a nest egg for future responsibilities like raising a family and major indulgences like foreign travel.
 

Postpone the mandatory health checkup

Just because you still feel like being twenty does not mean that your body is not aging. Foregoing your regular health checkups could be one of your worst mistakes since early detection can not only ward off lifestyle diseases but also warn you against potentially fatal diseases like breast cancer or cervical cancer. So make that appointment with your doctor or gynecologist and make sure you keep it this time.