Thirty, Flirty, and Still Figuring It Out (But Kind of Thriving)

Written By Krystal Maloney

I turn 39 this September.

That number feels impossible—and yet, here we are.

I still vividly remember turning 29, fully convinced my life was basically over and my career would soon follow. Someone told me, “Your 30s will be the best years of your life,” and honestly? I thought they were full of it.

But now, closing out this decade, I get it. They were right. And then some.

What the Last Decade Taught Me

  • I learned to slow down to speed up—personally and professionally.

  • Survived the middle school era with my daughter and gained a best friend in the process.

  • Got married. Bought a house. Renovated it… for seven years and counting.

  • Dug myself out of debt and figured out how to actually save and invest.

  • Bought not one, but two investment properties, with a third in the works.

  • Traveled to six countries (and I’m not done yet—Brazil, here we come).

  • Grieved deeply—a childhood friend and the best dog a human could ever have.

  • Left my first “big girl job” at Blue Door and cycled through three agencies, learning what to do—and what never to repeat.

  • Helped my teenager recover from depression, and realized how little we talk about what so many of us are going through.

  • Oh yeah, lived through a pandemic. 0/10, would not recommend.

  • Lost over 120 pounds and finally made peace with my body—and my mind.

And Now?

This final year of my 30s feels different. Calmer. Clearer. I’m still figuring it out—but this time, it feels like forward motion.

I’ve got a few things in the works (more on that soon), but for now I’m just… owning it.

Here’s to the next chapter—whatever wild, fulfilling, ridiculous form it takes.

Krystal Maloney