Life By Kristen

Birthday Treats

I believe in birthday resolutions. This year though, with a list of things to get done around the house and in life as long as my arm, I didn’t make any birthday resolutions. I made it about me and treated myself- purchased both seasons of Downton Abbey on DVD  and devoured them over a weekend; bought myself some new skincare items; took a day off from work in my busiest season; went away for a weekend.

I do things for myself all the time ( good books, cups of tea, baths with candles), but allowing myself to spend some (well-budgeted) money on some things I enjoy was new. The guilt of spending money on myself wasn’t there and when I made purchases I wasn’t thinking of how that could have gone to groceries or paying down my credit card debt.

Taking a day off from work during the busiest season for me did feel strange and foreign. I have to admit I couldn’t go totally cold turkey– ended up checking work email and giving my cell number to my vendors if they needed me ( they did). But I did allow myself to unplug from social media and not check work email over the weekend I was away in Philly.

And the best part about being in Philly was not just the company I was with, but that I had not one single plan for when I was down there. It was so awesome to have an entire weekend free and open to me- completely new and foreign but as it was happening, and reflecting back on it the day after– it was so awesome. I had so many moments of pure joy in my relaxed, happy state that I definitely know more weekends filled with “whatever happens, happens” are on the docket for me.