Good morning everybody. Today’s post is in association with 4th September because today is my birthday. Yay happy birthday to me! Actually, you may be surprised to know that I don’t like my birthday all that much really and we’ll get to that shortly but I felt somewhat obligated to write something today because I think I’ve done that every year since starting my blog.
I don’t particularly like my birthday for a whole bunch of reasons. The first one, is that I don’t like getting older. Which is a pretty standard worry I guess. I also don’t like fuss and too much attention. I feel bad when people buy me presents and just generally don’t know what to do with the extra spotlight for that one day. But the main thing I don’t like about this day of the year is that it makes me think. It’s makes me think about the age I am and all the stuff I haven’t done yet. All the people who at my age or younger have achieved so much more, been much wider afar and experienced more deeply. It makes me sad and in actual fact I remember spending the night before my 16th birthday sobbing my eyes out in bed.
So, although those thoughts won’t escape me and I’ll probably have a sombre moment or two at some point during the day, I wanted to try and make this post a little different and use it to celebrate and reflect and reminisce about the stuff I have done. Rather than worry about the stuff I haven’t.
So I’ve compiled a list of 24 things I have done, seen, been to or achieved in these first 24 years of my life. Both big and little things because sometimes, the little things count just as much:
- Danced on stage in a show
- Started a business
- Been skiing
- Got a tattoo
- Went to Disneyland (3 times!)
- Been in a TV studio audience
- Had a boating holiday
- Went up the Eiffel Tower
- Visited France (6 times and one of those included an exchange visit with a French art school!)
- Had a quote from my book reviews printed in a book (a few times!)
- Got a dog
- Went to a Motorsport event
- Created and maintained a successful blog
- Visit Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria (twice)
- And Majorca, Spain and Bulgaria (wanted to group these together)
- Been surfing / water skiing / rock climbing / abseiling (I felt these should be rounded into one)
- Been to lots of music gigs (it would literally take me forever to name them all but I do pride myself on how many I’ve been to! But my favorite will always be Green Day, Milton Keynes, 2006)
- Raised money for charity (over £900 in 2014 for Cancer Research UK!)
- Learnt to drive
- Been swimming in an outdoor pool in the middle of the French Alps, surrounded by snow
- Battled and battled anxiety and finally learnt that I am the master of my own mental health
- Learnt to play the drums
- Been to the theatre (Blood Brothers, Woman in Black and Wicked)
- Had the best teenage years I could have ever hoped for
And because it’s my birthday, I wanted to give you guys a little gift. It’s not much but I’m giving away a £5 Amazon gift-card here.
So there we have it: my lil 24 before 24 list. And remember, it’s never, ever too late to start a new adventure.
Giveaway T&C: This giveaway is open internationally and the £5 will be converted into the winner's currency. The giveaway starts on 4th September and ends on the 18th.
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WOW! You’ve done more in your 23 years than I have in my 33 hahaha.
Happy birthday, Jenny! I hope you have a fantastic one 🙂
I have had a job forest over a year and half, it’s part time but still am achievement in my eyes, Happy belated birthday
it won’t let me edit my post, but that’s meant to say for just and an achievement
Happy Birthday lovely – Best thing has been the books i have read this year, makes me escape! 💕💖💕
Wow, this is so impressive! I feel like a total slacker 🙁 But thank you for being such an inspiration 🙂
Nihaad – Read & Seek
Happy Birthday.. I have managed to lose weight and be much healthier.. after a BAD health review I decided to do something about it 🙂
Happy birthday!!! You’ve done so many exciting things!
Thank you!
Happy belated birthday! I do know what you mean about not liking your birthday – I find all the attention on me on that one day very disconcerting (how on earth I’m going to survive my wedding, just 3 days after my birthday next year, I’ll never know!) and I often get a bit sad about all the things I thought I’d have done by now that I haven’t. But cake’s always nice 😉 x
The best thing I achieved this year was getting engaged. Is that an engagement? I feel like it should be. Haha!
Cake is definitely nice and often makes things a lot better hehe! I just had a slice of mine from yesterday and my GOD was it good!! And getting engaged is definitely an achievement, congratulations! And don’t worry about the wedding just yet but I can imagine how completely and utterly daunting it must be for someone who doesn’t like attention! You’ll be fine 🙂 xx
Happy birthday! I hope its a great one. I moved house! Super proud of myself to have it done within 3 weeks.
Thank you (: ooh congrats how exciting! Wishing you many happy moments in your new home!
Happy Birthday Jenny. I don’t really like heights but I managed to walk to the top of a 65ft tower, jelly legs at the top but managed it.
Thank you (: wow! Congratulations that’s a huge achievement!
I’m not entirely ok with the fact that you went to Bullet in a Bible.
Hehehe OMG it was so good- hands down one of the best days of my life.
Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂 happy 24th! I achieved the ultimate awesomeness: I had a baby! He’s amazing.
You’re welcome and Thank you (: Wooohooo congratulations! 👶
Happy Birthday!
Thank you (:
Happy Birthday Jenny! We’re the same age now, and I feel you on the feeling described whenever you hit a new age. I feel the same way too. I guess at the end of the day, it’s all about making the best of it. I really hope you celebrate to some capacity or another today. Here’s to another orbit around the sun!
Thank you (: and yes I agree – I didn’t really do anything, watching the Grand Prix with my boyfriend (my favourite won so an extra bonus!), had a dominos pizza and opened some pressies so very low key xx
Happy 24th Jenny. Just back from Vegas where I flew in a helicopter to the Grand Canyon, zip lined down Fremont Street, rode the crazy roller coaster outside the New York New York hotel and jumped off the Stratosphere tower 855ft, not bad for a 54 year old!
Thank you (: WOW! That is insane Julie and very admirable! I definitely couldn’t jump off a tower hahaha
Happy Birthday! I’m proud of the grades I’ve achieved this year at school 🙂
Thank you (: Awh I’m glad! Grades are important and it’s great to know your hard work has paid off!
Happy birthday jenny hope you have a fab time xx
I started running last year and this year I hopped on the scales and found I had lost 1 and a 1/2 stone . I was so proud of myself . It was brilliant when people noticed it and buying new clothes was great xx 😄
Thank you (: wow that’s great, well done Leigh! Hope you feel a lot happier and healthier!
We’re the same age!
Happy birthday, you’ve done some amazing things and had what sounds like some amazing experiences. Here’s to many more of them!
Thank you (: and yes I do hope so!
Happy birthday girl and congrats on all those amazing things you achieved through 24 years!! 🙂
And to answer your question, I can’t say I achieved anything special this year, but I started blogging so that’s what’s new in my life from this year. As you can imagine, I’m loving it! 😀
That’s an achievement, definitely! Blogging is hard so well done!
Thank you (:
Happy birthday petal, such a fab list! Well done you on achieving so much xx
Thank you (: xxx
Congrats me matey! That list sounds so wonderful and amazing. You are awesome.
x The Captain
Arrrr thank you Captn’
Happy Birthday!!😁 My birthday is in 4 days…
Thank you (: Happy birthday for then!!
You have achieved a huge amount. You can be proud of all you have done and you may not realise the influence you have on others. There is always something in your blog that either makes me think, raises my spirits or just makes me nod in agreement. Happy Birthday Sweetie.
As for my achievement .. it may not seem much to others but just waking up to face another day is huge for me. I was told 2 years ago my cancer was terminal but they didn’t take my stubbornness into account!! xx
Thank you so much Alison, obviously when you compare yourself to what other people have done you don’t think that there may be people who look at what YOU have done and admire that (like I totally admire that amount of books you review its AMAZING!). I think your achievement is one of the best ones of all! You go kicking that cancer’s arse and proving everyone wrong 💪🏻
Happy Birthday, Jenny. As I’m a WordPress newbie, I only just started following your blog a few days ago, but you seem like a cool and helpful person and I liked one of your blog posts. I understand about you anxiety about time slipping away and birthdays (I feel the same) but you’ve still got loads of years ahead of you and you’ve already achieved so much! 😮 Have an amazing day, you deserve it! 🙂
Thank you (: and thank you for the follow! I hope you enjoy my posts!
Happy Birthday! Your list is incredible, you have achieved so much 🙂 Hope you have a fantastic day xx
Thank you (: xxx
Happy birthday! And great list 😊
Thank you (:
Wow! You have accomplished wayyyyyy more than I ever did by the age of 24!! You should be extremely proud of your accomplishments. Have a wonderful birthday :).
Thank you (: agh it doesn’t seem like it sometimes but I am proud of a lot of it!!
Happy Birthday!
Thank you (:
Happy Birthday!
Great list, I definitely agree that the little achievements can be as good as the big ones!
I guess the main achievement this year was going back to my job part time after a year of maternity. It took me a while to get back into things. At the moment I’m juggling a job, children and a book blog. However it feels good to keep busy! xx
Thank you (: that’s a great achievement, well done! You must be very busy so well done super mum 💪🏻
Happy Birthday Jenny have the best of days! My best achievement this year is beating my anxiety and bipolar and starting to feel well for the first time in years. 😀
Thank you (: and yeahhh go Claire!! That’s amazing and here’s to continuing to beat it and kick its arse xx
Happy birthday!
I have the same issue with mine. It reminds me how much everyone seems to be doing, and how I am stuck with a light list of achievements. My birthday is in a couple of weeks, I am dreading it a little, but this year some of my friends have managed to make me look forward to it. Still, I know I’ll be thinking about how I wish I was many steps ahead instead of still at university and stuck at home. I’ll try to write a list just like your to help 🙂
Thank you (: it’s a rubbish feeling isn’t it? But id love to see your list!
Happy birthday sweetie! I got into the committee of my choir this year, managing the website and other things now. xx
Thank you (:! Aww well done lovely!!! xxx
Happy Birthday! Getting custody and raising all 5 of my kids is my biggest achievement this year/
Thank you (: wow that’s incredible well done you!
Happy Birthday!!! Xx
Thank you (:
Happy birthday! This year for me has been full of big achievements and truthfully, I’m very proud of myself! I’m April I started properly using my blog and since then it’s gone SO well – sticking at it has been an amazing decision. Then in July I graduated from university with a 2:1, and not long after I started working as a virtual assistant, something I’ve wanted to do for about a year! I love it and I’m so excited about what’s to come!
So , yes. That’s what I’ve achieved 😀 Hope you have a great birthday xxx
Thank you (: and wow that’s a long list so very well done!!! I love your blog so keep that up and congratulations on graduating!!!
Thank you! 💛
Happy Birthday 🙂 I love #24!
Thank you (:
Happy Birthday! I love #24 🙂
I love this post, this is such a good way of celebrating your birthday! Travel is definitely the best one, you’ve been to so many great places 🙂
Thank you (: I really enjoyed writing it! I’d love to travel more!
Happy Birthday! That’s a good list of stuff 🎂
p.s got myself a new job after over 9 years in the previous one….scary but good!
Wow well done! That must have been scary and a huge step so congratulations!
Thank you! It was, but so far so good! x
Thank you (: