So, that time of year has appeared again, it’s been 365 days since it last occurred which can only mean it’s my birthday today!
I spent yesterday frantically cleaning my bedroom, changing the bed sheets, starting charity bags of clothes I no longer want to wear (because I’m planning on being oh so chic in my 35th year) and I bought a new outfit for my big day. Now it’s time to sit and reflect on all the things I’ve learnt in the last year, so here goes…
- Dream big – dream really big! Never think your dreams and ambitions are too big to reach and achieve. You don’t have to be in the same box as everyone else, living that 9-5, you can do different things with great success if you really want to. Start a bucket list and write down your wildest most farfetched dreams and watch them manifest.
- Keep learning – no matter how old you are it’s never too late to take up an online course or go back into education, it’s important to keep them brain cells active with new knowledge. I’m constantly taking art courses online which gives me opportunities to network with like minded people as well as make friends with people from all over the world.
- Give back – I’ve always given back in some way, through charity donations, being a shoulder to cry on, cooking people meals etc. The more I follow my spiritual practice, the more I realise the importance of giving back at least 10% of my income to my community.
- Forgive – holding onto anger really shows on my face and it affects my body too from feeling achy and tired. Just let bygones be bygones, by doing so it doesn’t mean I’m letting the other person walk all over me, it means I’m protecting my energy and my face from wrinkles!
- Get out of my comfort zone – for me this year I’ve had to meet so many new people, which I would usually have found difficult to do. It’s important to do the things we fear because that’s how we grow and realise sometimes we make things harder than they need to be.
- Digital organisation – this is so important because when photos and documents pile up on your desktop it can be frustrating and overwhelming to organise everything. It’s so not like the good old days where we could see the pile of letters or paperwork and physically file them away. I got lazy with this, which affected my creativity and now have a backlog of organising to do which I could have avoided.
- Try new skincare – allow yourself a treat every now and again because when you get new products to try it makes getting ready for bed or the day ahead more exciting rather than a chore.
- Last minute holiday – booking a last minute holiday can be as fun or as stressful as you want it to be, I chose fun! I had India on my mind as I hadn’t been for 13 years and the tickets were super cheap so I took it as a sign from the Universe to take the opportunity to visit the mother land.
- Don’t be a sheep – following the crowd has never really worked for me but against my better judgement I decided to get my makeup “professionally” done for a wedding because everyone else was doing so but I was so unhappy with the look, which meant I was uncomfortable the entire evening as well as £70 poorer!
- Be happy for others – this comes more and more naturally to me as I get older. I don’t see the point of being jealous or unhappy of others as we all make achievements in our own time and when we are meant to.
- Use a PC – after using a MAC for so long, I totally forgot how to make my way around a PC! So now I switch it up and use a PC every now and then (never forget your roots lol).
- Never underestimate yourself – it’s really important to believe in yourself and the skills you have, putting yourself down won’t achieve anything.
- Don’t be attached to things – it’s taken me a long time to realise this and I’m glad I have because sharing is caring. Things will always come and go and break but it’s not the end of the world so it’s important to share the things you own so other people can also enjoy them.
- Giving up TV – this has been the best thing for my mind and soul because I’m being mindful about the information I let my mind take in. I refuse to watch programs that have negative messages and make me feel depressed rather than uplifted.
- Cutting out animal products – I have been an on and off vegetarian all my life but last year I decided to completely give up all animal products from my diet (apart from milk and cheese which I’m planning on giving up from this day forward) and it’s had positive effects on my body and mind. I don’t get colds as much as I used to and I feel less angry and frustrated in my mind.
- Giving up alcohol – I didn’t really drink much anyways but in social situations I felt I “needed” to otherwise I couldn’t loosen up but that’s totally untrue and it’s all in the mind. I now know I don’t “need” to poison my mind and body in order to have fun.
- Acceptance – learning about my culture and religion has changed my thoughts on what I thought about Sikhism from my childhood. It’s my own journey with God and I don’t have to take on the views and opinions of others.
- I am not my body, shape or size – for so long I have let the way I look rule my life. I’ve let not being slim enough hold me back from enjoying life as I’ve felt uncomfortable in certain situations but if I keep doing that I won’t do anything in life so I’ve learnt to make the most of who I am in the present moment.
- No more pain – hair removal has been the bane of my life so discovering the Braun Silk Epliator 9 has been one of the best investments I’ve made this year. No more shaving rash on my legs or painful hot waxes.
- A bright lip – can change up a look in an instant and sometimes it’s good to make a statement.
- Don’t follow the hype – just because coconut oil and oats are known as “healthy” products it doesn’t mean they will suit me. Both of these things were breaking me out really bad and I only realised when they weren’t part of my daily routine whilst on holiday.
- Oh I do like to be beside the sea – because it makes me feel calm and peaceful plus it’s a change of scenery from the hustle and bustle.
- Explore locally – I really got in to exploring my own county this year and it’s so exciting having fun places on my doorstep that I never knew existed and it’s a lot cheaper than a plane ticket abroad.
- Health and fitness – never give up on this journey because it gets harder each time you stop and start. Even if you fall off the bandwagon jump straight back on when you can rather than leaving a big gap.
- Don’t take it personally – if people are rude because I can’t control other peoples actions.
- No phones in bed – I adopted this rule at the start of the year and it’s the best decision I’ve made. It’s unhealthy looking at social media before bed and upon waking up.
- Stop hoarding – I now use everything I own and stop saving things to use or clothes to wear for the “perfect” moment.
- Don’t compare to others – especially when I feel overwhelmed because that’s when I think I can’t do something because so and so is doing something similar or better than me but we are all here for a purpose.
- Be spontaneous – sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and do that thing you’ve been mulling over for months on end. For me it was getting my nose pierced after thinking about it for 6 months.
- Responsibility – it’s been important for me to remember that I’m not responsible for other peoples moods or actions if they are being negative.
- Meditation – and prayer have helped me keep a calm mindset.
- Thoughts and words – become things so it’s important to be as positive as possible as I’ve seen my words manifest in to reality.
- Have self belief – no matter what just never give up on yourself, I feel like I didn’t achieve as much as I wanted to this year and may have given up on projects earlier than I should have. Try not to give up on yourself because only you can make them dreams come true.
- Enjoy life – it’s important to take life seriously so you hit all your milestones but don’t take it so seriously that you forget to have fun and enjoy the journey!
It was quite challenging coming up with 34 points, apologies if I’ve repeated myself, think I may have to start now for next year!
Happy birthday to ME and anyone else celebrating today!