10 Changes To Make In Your 30s That Will Set You Up For Lifelong Success

While you can't undo the damage you may have already incurred from smoking, research suggests that those who quit before age 40 have a 90% lower mortality risk than those who continue.

If you oversleep for even a few days, experts say you risk resetting your body clock to a different cycle, so you'll start getting tired later in the day. Avoid a lifetime of sleep issues by sticking to bedtime and wakeup routines whenever you can.

In the later half of your 30s, you start losing muscle mass, so it's especially important to exercise at this time. But remember to choose physical activities you really love, since you're less likely to continue exercising if you dislike your workouts.

Even if you'd prefer to keep your musings to yourself, putting your thoughts and feelings on paper can help you deal with stressful events.

It might seem like your golden years are a lifetime away, but the earlier you start saving, the more time your money has to accrue interest.

Don't delay pursuing your life goals. Want to buy a house? Have kids? Write a book? Pick one of those life goals and get started. What can you do between now and the end of the year to embark on one of them?

If you are content with what you have, you will have a happier life. It's really about gratitude: Research suggests that appreciating what you have can increase happiness and decrease negative feelings.

Hang out more with the people who make you happy. It's important to invest your time and energy wisely.

Constantly peering over your shoulder to see what others are doing doesn't help you accomplish your goals. You'd be better off spending time thinking about what you want to achieve and evaluating your progress on those fronts.

Self-compassion (the ability to forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes) is the key driver of success. That's likely because people who practice self-compassion see their weaknesses as changeable and try to avoid making the same errors in the future.