Outfit details at the end of the post.

Did you catch yesterday’s post? It went up super late, but it’s one of Mitch’s best!

I really liked my 20s. Of course, looking back now and saying that I “really liked” that time isn’t difficult. Being removed from it, it’s now easy to focus on those amazing late nights with friends; having so few responsibilities; the highs that came along with the realization that I was, in fact, an adult and somehow making it on my own; and the butterflies I felt when I fell in love with my now husband. It’s easy to push aside the heartbreak, the financial instability, the worry, the uncertainty, and all the other struggles. When I’m honest with myself, my 20s were fun, but they were tough, too.

I LOVE my 30s. And I know for certain that I love ’em because I’m currently in my 30s and saying that. This decade has just been a lot easier than the last. Yes, Mitch and I have had to deal with some big things: relocating to a new city and dealing with the transition, switching jobs and professions, and the struggle to get and stay pregnant. (Which ended happily, so don’t be sad for us. ;) But I just think we’re both personally in such better places. Most of the “big stuff” has been figured out, plans for the future have been made or at least talked about, and while we still encounter bumps on our road, I think we’ve learned how to swerve without crashing. Our 30s have been less about self-discovery and more about being happy with our lives and simply living them.

With this new decade, though, has come a bit of complacency, for lack of a better word. I tend to go about my life, doing what I always do, without taking “risks” or moving out of my comfort zone. With the exception of some pesky work-related issues that I’m trying to fix, life is good! Why change things?! Mitch, on the other hand, is more likely to try to mix it up, but he, too, will even say that he’s been yearning for some adventure lately. It’s why we booked that trip to Los Angeles in April.

Recently, my friend Kira and her husband Tom asked if our little family wanted to spend the weekend with them at Kira’s family’s lake house. (I mentioned this in Monday’s post, but we met back in March of last year when she and her adorable mother attended a Last Call Studio event I was hosting.) It was the kindest, bravest and most generous offer–I mean, who invites a couple and their infant to their lake house for a weekend getaway?!–but I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous. While we’d stayed in touch and hung out a couple of times since that event, Kira and I didn’t know each other that well, and the husbands had never met.

What if we didn’t get along?! What if the husbands hated each other?! What if we just sat there, in silence, for the entirety of the weekend?!

Awkward turtle.

Old Kelly would have thanked Kira profusely but then made up some excuse as to why we couldn’t make it. Kelly 2.0, though, said yes.

Can I tell you guys? I’m so, so, so glad we said yes. It was truly one of my favorite weekends of all time, and I’m positive I’ll always remember it. While I thought there would be a bit of awkwardness (at least in the beginning), there just wasn’t. Everything was easy, and we talked a mile a minute and laughed until our stomachs hurt. Tom cooked us amazing meal after amazing meal (thank you, Tom!); we took long walks on the beach in 60-degree weather; we played board games and told stories; and we sat around drinking coffee and chatting for hours and hours and hours. We left Michigan City with two new best friends who just so happen to live in our neighborhood, and plans to hang out again because, like, how would we go a full week without seeing each other? Haha!

Last weekend taught me the importance of being open. Open to new experiences, new friends, new endeavors. Open to plans. Open to it all. My 30s shouldn’t be characterized by complacency. A decade should never be characterized by complacency! Truthfully, I kind of feel like a new girl this week because I’ve learned this lesson.

I’ve started taking the reins on a few house projects I’ve been putting off for what seems like forever, I picked up my guitar for the first time in MONTHS, and I’ve tried to write more deeply. (I hope you’ve noticed? Maybe?!) I’ve also been making plans to see those I’ve lost touch with since having Emma, and I’ve tried to pay it forward and reach out to a couple of people I don’t know yet and make plans with them. At the same time, I’ve been going to bed ON TIME. (Kira and Tom are really, really good about getting eight hours of sleep every night, and they’ve inspired me to place importance on shuteye. Have you noticed that some of my blog posts this week were super late? Yep, that’s because I decided to adhere to a bedtime, too!)

I think one of the cutest parts of all this is that I actually wrote the draft of this post on Monday, and then Kira, without knowing, published this post on Wednesday. Her message–what she took away from the trip–was so similar to mine, and my heart grew another size while reading it. :) Kindred spirits…

The title of this post is “Making New Friends in Your 30s,” but I’m realizing now that it probably applies to most–not just those in their 30s. So tell me: Is making new friends as challenging for you as it is for me? Do you have a cute success story? How do you go about meeting new people? Or are you still struggling to find them? I’d love to hear!

Also: Please know that while I’m usually unable to respond to comments these days, I read EVERY SINGLE ONE, and I adore hearing your stories, insight and connections. I’m slowly catching up on work, and I can’t wait to dedicate more time to interacting with you guys. It’s in the near future as I recently made some major changes, and I’m so excited! Thank you!

Shop the post:

Wearing: Ruffled Sweater (Wearing a size small.) / Rag & Bone Jeans / Hunter Boots and Socks (Also available here. Dying to try these and these!) / Barbour Jacket (I wear a U.S. size 4, btw. Also available via Tuckernuck. Here’s my full review of the jacket! It’s the BEST.) / Peplum Top (And LOVE this similar top! This one is really affordable, too! And this one! <–Wow. Finally, I recently acquired this one and I’m so obsessed. Need to stop buying peplum.) / Hunter Boots and Socks (Also available here. Dying to try these and these!) / Rag & Bone Jeans (Also adore this cut.) / Similar Cardigans here, here, here and here

FYI: Kira’s Hunter boots are sadly sold out, but aren’t they SO CUTE?! Not sure if this is helpful, but I love this lace-up pair as well as this pair!