26 Ways To Enjoy Your 30's

Welcome to the 30's club! Or if you aren't here yet, congrats on getting a head start for that part of your life!
It can be fascinating (or surprising) to experience the 30's. Your health might change, but you'll hopefully feel settled and focused in your vision, personal and work life. When you need extra inspiration 

Explore

  • What types of skill(s) do you need for a job or position you want? Make it a reality!
  • We all know about how great worldwide travel is/would be, but have you explored all of your city/state/local area?
  • Get outside regularly
  • Cultivate a listening ear and the ability to ask good questions
  • In a world where the online space is very common, invite people into your home on a regular basis, do real life with real people
  • Mentor and be mentored

Hobbies

  • Pick up a hobby you enjoyed as a kid or teen
  • Learn something (or a few somethings) new and enjoy the messy process of learning.
  • Teach a hobby, take someone "under your wing" and watch them thrive!

Health

  • Study how the body works. Once you have a basic understanding of how the different parts work together, it's easier to make healthy choices.
  • Research vitamins: they aren't all made the same and don't all work the same for every person. We also don't get everything we need from food anymore, so supplements are helpful.
  • Make your own food & snacks: splurging is fun, but making your own is usually healthier, can be fun, and is generally budget-friendly
  • Hydrate: I like to add flavored hemp to water. Yum :)
  • Sleep: neat tip: the body processes thoughts, toxins, etc while you sleep. It's a really necessary "vitamin" in and of itself!
  • Exercise for your body type AND to support where your health is right now.
  • Have healthcare professionals that listen to you (chiropractors and functional medicine docs are a great place to start!)

Finances

  • Start a 'retirement' fund, even if you don't plan to retire!
  • Get a financial coach (mine costs $40 a year! I'm happy to share more info!)
  • Give regularly. Sometimes the smallest amounts make the biggest difference! It's a blessing to invest in someone's music lessons for 6 months, or a food delivery service, etc.

Ministry

(for my fellow believers)
  • Keep growing spiritually (your relationship with the Lord is the most important one you'll ever have)
  • Serve your church
  • Send encouraging cards letting people know where you see the Lord working in their lives

Income

I'd love to hear what has helped you in your "journey through the 30's", feel free to leave a comment or send me a note! (I'll write back!)

Serving in Suffering

Over the past couple of years, my health has presented some challenges and I'm currently still working through them. One of my dearest friends (who "adopted" me as a little sister) sent me these comforting truths as we chatted about our relative health issues, and now they are here for you to glean from as well!

There are at least three purposes that God accomplishes through our weakness:
1. God enables us to see His strength. 
We tend to rely on ourselves until we reach our limit. 
Then, we look to Him, which is where we ought to look.
2. God enables us to value others who also struggle.
Again, we tend to think about ourselves first. 
Our weaknesses sensitize us to the plight of others.
3. God gives us opportunities to minister.
We get to minister to one another because of our weaknesses. 
We'd have no needs if we had no weaknesses.

Your particular suffering brings you into deeper fellowship with the Father, 
enhances your ministry to others, and leads others to minister to you.
J. Chris Mills
----
P.S. I miss you a lot big brother, but rejoicing that you get to see Jesus face to face <3

Living in a new season

Living in a new season
First off, Hi! I'm Allison, the face & heart behind Allie Dean, the place where you can find encouragement for your business, wellness tips for your life, and a friend who's here to listen.

Blogging is one of my favorite things because it's a quiet spot in the midst of a busy online world. You get to enjoy posts that you can find easily, free downloads as I roll them out, and the freedom to connect with me personally, if you'd like!

So, welcome here, friend!

I picked Allie Dean as a photography business name a couple years ago, using my nickname and my grandfather's middle name as inspiration. He enjoyed photography, developing film in the darkroom, entering contests, and traveling the world with his camera. In later years he had to stop due to partial blindness, and I picked it up and have carried it on. We never got to shoot together, but I think he'd be impressed with the digital age and would have dived right into using all the things!

Photography is a side gig for me now, (along with teaching piano and petsitting), and I'm in the middle of a different season of branching out with my brand to include business mentorship and wellness! (so-so-excited!!) 

On a more personal level, I'm also navigating life having experienced 2 deaths of family members in the last year. It's not always easy to "get up and go", sadness is still lingering in between the joys, and I'm learning how to be present for the wonderful people in my life and how to take care of my heart & mind.

More and more, I am grateful for the Lord's constant love, the ways He directs my steps, and His presence which is with me always. There is no comfort like His, no treasure like His Word, and that He has taken me for His own is a wondrous thing. Even in sadness, I'm grateful. And someday I'll get to see Him as well as my loved ones again :)

Thanks for joining me in this space, do come back and visit often!
-Allie


P.S. Speaking of freebies, check out the next post for a free social media calendar, and take the guesswork out of posting!