Birthdays have always been a bit tricky for me. For a long time I believed that something bad would always happen on my special day (mostly because, for several years in a row, I had disastrous birthdays where loved ones became gravely ill, pets died, people got in car accidents and general chaos and doom reigned) and so I tended to try to just get it over and done with as quickly as possible.
As I got older and, particularly after surviving a life-threatening illness, I starting believing that having another birthday was actually pretty good. Bad stuff could still happen, but then it could on any other day, so why worry about it?
Usually, I try and organise a dinner out, or a get-together of some description with friends or family or both. This year, I just wanted time on my own. I didn’t want to involve anyone else, which sounds really selfish and unsociable, but I just wanted to spend my day pottering about by myself, doing as I pleased and not having any schedule to follow. I highly recommend it I don’t get lonely and am quite happy with my own company. I wanted a stress-free, restorative, recharging kind of day.
So, my idea of a good birthday goes something like this…..
1. Dress in a comfortable outfit, in your favourite colours.
Makeup and hair done for no one else but yourself.
2. Take yourself out for a delicious, hearty breakfast…….
3…..and eat it all up. Don’t feel guilty at all.
4. Visit a favourite, gorgeous shop. Wander around for an hour or so and don’t buy anything. Feel good that you didn’t spend unnecessarily (even if it is because you’re a bit poor right now and couldn’t afford to even if you wanted to).
5. Make yourself a birthday cake and share it with loved ones at dinner time. It doesn’t matter if the cake is a bit homely looking. People will be polite and eat it anyway.
6. Drink vast quantities of tea, preferably out of pretty china so you feel like a lady.
7. Go op-shopping. Buy shoes for a ridiculously low price (in this case $4.25).
So, for me, a perfect birthday is one in which I spend time doing things I enjoy, with no schedule or plan. I ended the day with my brother and his family, which was lovely – I even had candles on my cake and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me. Delightful. Maybe spending a day on your own isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it was exactly what I needed and I’m so glad I did it.
So how do you spend your birthday? Do you like to ignore it, go all out and spoil yourself, or plan a quiet day of solitude and reflection? Whatever you do, I hope you always feel loved and appreciated on your special day.
Thanks for dropping by x
Tagged: age, ageing, birthday, fun, gifts, happy birthday, life, lifestyle, me, peace, quiet, random things, self-love, solitude, special day, treat yoself, truth