Millennial woman spends birthday alone, tears over her 8 realizations

For many people, turning 30 is a milestone that comes with plenty of excitement and maybe some trepidation. It marked the start of a new chapter for Krystal Budde, who packed up her things and moved to Spain, but it hasn’t been plain sailing, as she told Newsweek why her 31st birthday left her in tears.

Ever since she was a teenager, Budde, from Colorado, dreamed of moving to Europe and taking in the culture, history and beauty. That was put on hold throughout her twenties as she focused on choosing the career path that felt right for her. Budde even became a licensed pilot, but that didn’t feel like a meaningful enough career.

Budde watched many of her friends get married and start their own families. However, she said that “wasn’t a priority” for her personally. Instead, she chose to focus on herself and the life she wanted. The dream of moving abroad never left her mind, and, by the time she turned 30, Budde finally set to work on making it happen.

In January 2026, she moved to Valencia, Spain, which felt like “the natural next step” for her. She turned 31 just two weeks later and was reduced to tears by several realizations she made that day.

“I think it brought up feelings of being behind, even though I don’t let myself spiral into that narrative,” Budde said. “I thought I’d be married, have a few kids, and maybe own a house or be more settled in the traditional way. While I think the narrative suggesting that a house, spouse, and kids mean you’re settled down is becoming less popular, it still tends to be the standard. But I decided I was not going to put my life on hold, so I continued to pursue my dreams and what’s important to me.”

Indeed, Budde has carved out a successful and fulfilling life for herself over the years, having now become a confidence mentor for others. Nonetheless, there are still moments when comparison gets the better of her and makes her feel less than.

Spending her 31st birthday alone and in tears wasn’t the plan, but Budde actually felt better for it. It allowed her to work through those emotions and process her thoughts rather than avoiding them.

She continued: “It would be easy to run with the idea that I’m behind because my life doesn’t look a certain way, but I don’t let that narrative make my decisions. Just because I don’t have a partner, or house, or kids, doesn’t mean I can’t live a very fulfilling life.”

Being alone has enabled Budde to pour time into herself, her well-being, business and her support network. And that, she said, has been “an incredible gift.”

Budde often shares aspects of her life on Instagram (@krystalbudde), including the highs and lows. On January 27 she posted a Reel about the eight realizations she had on her 31st birthday, alongside footage of her working through the emotions.

The caption explains that, while she is incredibly proud of the life she has built, she’s also not afraid to admit that she cried when spending her birthday alone. She sometimes feels left behind, feels compelled to have her life together, and there are times she wonders what if she hadn’t quit her job as a pilot, and she occasionally gets frustrated about not being further ahead.

The post undoubtedly resonated with many others, leading it to go viral with over 191,000 views and more than 1,200 likes on Instagram at the time of writing.

Budde used to hate the idea of being vulnerable online, but sharing this moment felt so freeing and healing. She said it is important to share “the duality of life” because it remains possible to be both proud and successful while also having these self-doubts.

“I also know that I’m not alone in feeling this way, and my hope was to help others feel less alone. When you see someone else going through something similar or having similar thoughts, I know how validating and comforting that can feel,” Budde said.

She continued: “There’s no universal timeline to follow. Just because your life doesn’t look the way you once imagined, doesn’t mean you’re behind or doing something wrong. It’s OK to grieve the versions of life you thought you’d have, while still being deeply grateful for the one you’re living.”

There may have been times when Budde viewed moments like this as a weakness, but now she sees it as a sign that she is living bravely and honestly. She started over in a new country and is prioritizing herself and being intentional about what she chooses. The next few years are filled with opportunities and excitement for Budde.

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