How To Have A Brilliant Birthday
If my blog is about mental health and fat liberation why am I writing about how to have a brilliant birthday? Simple! Friday was my birthday, and I had a lovely day with Mike (my husband) and Jayne (my sister). I got some lovely pressies including books, bee bombs and bath bombs. I felt refreshed and rejuvenated, which was something I desperately needed. I’ve had problems sleeping lately, which has made my chronic fatigue a lot worse. I’ll be writing more about this in later blog posts. My birthday was a huge tonic for me, though. Sometimes we all need a happy day, and this is particularly true during this pandemic. So today’s post is a nice simple one. It’s my rules to have a brilliant birthday.
Rule One
Do what you want! With the rise of social media, people put a massive amount of pressure on themselves to have a spectacular birthday. Dinner with loved ones or a few drinks at the pub is not enough anymore. Now people put up images of parties with a hundred people, dinner at 5-star restaurants, or trips to exotic locations. Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Christmas and New Year have changed out of all recognition. If you can’t post a perfect image that everyone can be jealous of, does it even matter? YES! If none of that appeals to you, then don’t do it. It’s your birthday, and it’s your day to be happy. If you can’t do exactly what you want on that one day, then when can you?
For me, my birthday is always the same. Jayne stays over, and we have breakfast and presents. We always have lunch at Blackfriars because it’s my favourite restaurant and where I got married. We used to go to the cinema, but with covid being what it is now we just go home and have tea and talk. I go through the books I asked for as presents—my mum and stepdad pop over later. I’m sure this all sounds deathly dull to some of you, but to me, it’s perfect. So on your birthday if you want to stay home and eat ice cream alone, that’s ok. Or have a couple of friends over for dinner. Or even go for a birthday run! Make the day what will make you most happy, and take the word “should” out of your dictionary.
Rule Two
No work! This is one of my most sacred rules, I do not work on my birthday, and I do not work on Christmas Day even if I’m not doing anything. Even if I’m sitting in my PJs on the couch all day. Hell, even if I was somehow alone. No. Work. If you love your workmates and want to go in, then don’t let me stop you. For me to have a brilliant birthday, though, my birthday has to be a no work day.
Rule Three
Sleep in. Admittedly, this is much easier for me as I don’t have children. If you can, though, always sleep in a little later on your birthday. In my experience, none of us gets as much sleep as we need. Use your birthday as a chance to catch up a bit. If you have any tricks that make your kids sleep late, then try them the night before. Or see if any supportive family members or friends can have them stay over with them as their birthday gift to you.
Rule Four
Do whatever you need to to feel great. I always have clean hair, put on an outfit I feel fabulous in, and put on make-up. After a lie-in, knowing there’s no work, a nice brekkie, and presents, this is the final element I need to feel happy and energised. If yours is getting up early, going to the gym, and making up a stack of protein pancakes, then do it! Only if it’s what you WANT to do rather than feel you SHOULD do. Restrictive diet and exercise regimes don’t have any place in life at all, in my opinion, but they absolutely should not be part of your birthday. Do whatever you need to make you glow.
Rule Five
EAT WHAT YOU WANT!!! Cake, chocolate, burgers, pizza, nachos, and anything else your heart desires. You are a gorgeous, wonderful, and beautiful human being. You deserve to eat wonderful food and celebrate the day of your birth. In my opinion, you deserve to eat these things whenever you want ‘em because diets don’t work. There is no such thing as bad food. All foods have a place in your life. You especially deserve them on your birthday, though.
Rule Six
Only include the people you want to be with. In the past, I included friends as part of my celebration. Now it’s just Mike and Jayne. I have friends I like very much, but I love my birthday just being about me and the two people I love most in the world. Yes, I see my mum and stepdad later, but that’s once the enjoying of my day is done. They’re ok to see for an hour, but I would not want them to come out for lunch or be there for breakfast. That might sound cold, but if you’ve read about my past, you’ll know why I feel as I do. I know it’s difficult, but please do not feel pressured into inviting people that you don’t want to spend time with to your birthday. Make sure the people, things and activities you spend your birthday doing fill you with joy.
Rule Seven
Be grateful. While I would never knock those who fill out gratitude journals and do daily affirmations, it is absolutely not for me. I’m just not that sort of person. Gratitude is a good lesson, though, especially for your birthday. Sometimes when it comes to gifts or a choice of activity, even our nearest and dearest can get it wrong. The thing to remember is that they’ve spent time, effort and money trying to get you something nice or do something they think you’d like. So even if you know it’s not what you want, smile, say thank you, and be grateful they care enough to bother.
Enjoy Yourself!
There we are, my six rules to have a brilliant birthday. Feel free to use this and add to it or completely ignore it. It is totally up to you. Whatever you do, though, take time to enjoy your birthday. Life is too short not to celebrate and be happy.
