The best birthdays of all are those that haven’t arrived yet.
- Robert Orben
Today is my birthday. Before you shout for joy and tell me happy birthday, understand that I’m kind of a birthday bitch. Every year around my birthday I get pensive and frustrated, not with getting older, more with thoughts on the future. Talk about killing the celebatory mood. My Virgo nature wants to make a fuss about it but instead opts to have a low-key celebration with close friends and family. I try desperately to break out of the birthday blues, but they creep in every year like clockwork.
I’ll be 26 tomorrow and all I can think about is where I want to be in the next year. That’s the thing about birthdays; you should be celebrating the past year but all you can think about are the years to come. Ashe Mischief did an amazing post on the 101 things to do in the next ten years and inspired me to write a list of things learned this past year and things I want to accomplish in the future.
26 Things things I’ve learned this year:
1. Not to sweat the small stuff. I already knew this, but this year it was certainly put to the test
2. As each day goes by I’m becoming increasingly more comfortable wth who I am; don’t know where or if there is a finish line though
3. There’s a big girl inside of me and when she wants food, I listen. I’m scared of big girls!
4. When I apply myself and give my very best effort, I can do anything (further application neccesary)
5. I’m at the very begining of my adult life and (Insha’Allah) I have a lot more to experience
6. I need to learn more about money; From getting it, managing, growing it and keeping it. Nothing worse than funny money
7. Some things that used to matter to me, don’t any more
8. True Blood is my V; Sookie, Eric, Bill, Tara, fine ass Eggs and crazy ass Layfayette, I’m addicted
9. Blogging has become more than a hobby, it’s my way of life
10. I still haven’t outgrown wanting to be an only child
11. Michael Jackson meant more to me than I realized
12. People will be exactly who they are and you have to accept it and keep it moving
13. Rome wasn’t built in a day and nothing happens in a vaccuum. Patience is a virtue I need to work on fine-tuning
14. Comfort food is my friend even when I don’t need comforting
15. Me + Too many drinks = Verbal Diarrhea
16. Some of the coolest and most talented people I’ve “met” are from the internet
17. Dancing is my therapy… take your problems out on the dance floor
18. I’m a Wendy Williams stan and proud of it. How you doin’?
19. I need to be more chartiable. It’s good for the soul
20. Asking for help isn’t always a sign of weakness, sometimes it’s a sign of maturity
21. As much I love me some good gossip, I really could care less what celebrities are doing
22. Sometimes things really aren’t meant to be
23. I’ll take a boring night at home with the Boo to a boring night out any day
24. Girl’s Nights Out = Debauchery!
25. I’ll never outgrow playing dress up
26. I don’t have all the answers, but I know the questions to ask to get them
27 things to do before I turn 27:
1. Grow this blog’s readership and continue to connect and make friends through it.
2. Continue practicing and building my DJing skills
3. Go on a solo vacation or day trip. Just hop on a bus and get away if only for a few hours
4. Purge my wardrobe for charity and re-build it from scratch
5. Launch my freelance career
6. Learn how to work more efficently and stay focused
7. Build my nest-egg
8. Tape a webisode for Stylish Thought
9. Meet fellow fashion bloggers in person and maybe over a cocktail
10. Dye my hair, a color other than black
11. Have a True Blood themed party
12. Finally get around to decorating my apartment
13. Brainstorm ideas for the book I dream of one day writing
14. Continue my career in Iinteractive Media
15. Spend more time with my family
16. Get another tattoo
17. Treat myself to spa day
18. Ween myself off of Red Bull… It gives me wings
19. Perfect my hair weaving
20. Move from conceptualizing to actually setting up my vintage store
21. Go on more quality time dates with the Boo
22. Get a car
23. Raise my credit score
24. Take a dance class
25. Work less and have more fun
26. Exercise more and lose 10 pounds
27. Enjoy every day
This list was hard to write and truly stretched my mind as to what I take away and what I want to attract in my life! As I blow out the candles on my cupcake, I’ll replace the blues with positive thoughts of all the great things yet to come.
#6 – you should check out mint.com. It’s been a life saver for me.
And try not to sweat the future so much; it’s hard to enjoy now when you do that. Trust me, I know.
Happy birthday.
@Alicia: Yeah I need to chill out and let life do what it do! I’ll have to check out the mint, thanks for the heads up!
Happy Belated Birthday!! Wishing you many many more!!!
This list is so wonderful, doll! I love that you took time to reflect on this past year… not enough of us do that! Many of yours for the year 27 should be on my route as well… we should be inspiration buddies!
@ Ashe: Thanks gal! We should definitely inspire each other. We can do an email check-in to get updates on our progress!!
@ Karen: Thanks chica!
Happy Belated Birthday! Hope you enjoyed your day and don’t worry you’ll accomplish everything and more!
The day I became comfortable in my own skin was momentous. I met the love of my life a month later. Everything you’ve listed speaks volumes; you will undoubtedly be successful. Love the work, keep growing! I will be reading.
@Macala: Congrats on meeting the love of your life! I know feeling comfortable must be a daily thing, it is for me! Thanks and your website is full of information! I’ll definitely be popping in often!
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