Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus/ Happy St. David’s Day
I grew up in Wales and always celebrated my birthday on St. David’s Day together with the Patron Saint of Wales. So I have very fond memories of wearing the Welsh National Costume at school, daffodils and performing in the school’s Eisteddfod (a morning of music, poetry, art and celebrations). Even studying Welsh.
It was a very special moment meeting a dear friend of mine from school to go to The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. Reminiscing about all of our school memories was incredibly special. Those formative years always define who you are as a person, and many of these memories have always stayed with me.
2022 is my Emerald Year
At the beginning of the year, I mentioned that Susan Miller, who runs Astrologyzone.com stated that this was going to be my Emerald Year. After looking into it a bit more, Emerald is also a stone associated with my birth month. My brothers and mother bought me a beautiful necklace and earrings, which I will always wear to remind me of them and intend to bring this positive energy into my daily life. I have started introducing emerald green into my wardrobe, trying to move away from black.
Emerald apparently is one of the sacred gemstones of the Atlanteans. It is believed to be the gem of intelligence and action, wealth, and service for the benefit of humanity. Emerald was often chosen as an alternative to diamond as an engagement ring stone because it would promote fidelity and happiness.
My best friend Tracy used to call me her Emerald, so it has an even more special meaning for me.
Getting away gives you a better perspective on life
Sometimes it’s good to get away from your daily life to be able to look at it more objectively. Having spent what seems like the last two years in my bedroom, shielding or at least being careful. Travelling to Bournemouth and spending my birthday weekend by the beach has been wonderful.
What can I say? I always have a birthday week. I had saved £250 into a Starling Spaces savings pot and treated my mother and me to oysters and champagne by the beach. Sometimes it’s important to save for a ‘fun fund’. However decadent this may seem, while you are being frugal most of the time, you can give yourself permission to splash the cash on occasions, budget permitting.
A birthday is a great time to re-evaluate your life.
The time between Christmas and New Year is a period when I completely re-evaluate my life and finances before the start of the financial year on 1 April. I love hearing from people on my birthday and sharing photos of good times with friends and family. This year I wanted to come home and share my birthday with the person who brought me into this world. It’s our day, and it has been nice to wake up and celebrate pancake day together! That and eating cake for breakfast. Adulting can be really good fun!
POWER OF THREE
It’s my birthday month, so what better time to start planning for the year ahead until my next one? So for this month, I am going to focus on rest, fun and health.
I interviewed Angellica Bell last week, who said that what was important to her was spending time with people she loved. I couldn’t agree with this more.
Last month I looked at self-worth and have been doing a lot of internal work on this. I need to move out of survival mode and focus on building a bright future. In Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO Experience last week, he talks about dreams and not giving up. What are your dreams, and what are you sacrificing for them?
I hate spending money, but I am rather impulsive. That’s why you will not find anything related to gambling in this blog. I am going to focus more on making money this year, but if you are looking around for investments. Do your homework first! I deposited some money into eToro to test buying individual stocks and cryptocurrency. Despite a strict budget, with the stock market and Crypto so volatile, buying what you can afford to lose is important.
I feel in a really good place this birthday. It has been a weekend of resting, going to the beach, indulging in bubble baths and spending time with loved ones. My favourite things! Now it’s time to put away the laptop and spend the rest of my birthday enjoying my birthday.
Birthday Week Top Tips:
1. SET YOURSELF ONE FINANCIAL GOAL WITH A REWARD
My ambition is to save up for a house deposit. I am going to look at houses I want to buy, create a Pinterest mood board, and visualise what this will all mean for me! As well as create a savings goal. Dreams are nothing without action, so I need to formulate a plan.
2. CELEBRATE WITH LOVED ONES
Many people asked me this year what I wanted to do on my birthday: wake up in Bournemouth with my mother. Luckily we spent a gorgeous hot day on the beach with oysters and a glass of champagne. The money I had set aside for my birthday. I came back to London and treated myself to a night out at Secret Cinema’s Bridgerton Ball. Clockwork Orange at the Printworks is a date in the diary to celebrate with friends.
3. HAVE FUN AGAIN
One thing we have been lacking in our lives is a little fun! I am a massive believer in having a ‘fun fund’, but have seriously been lacking this in my life. As part of my monthly savings plan, I also set aside some money pots for this. I want to try and bring back some fun into my life. As well as safely visit all of the things in London and friends and family I haven’t seen over the last couple of years.
Let me know your fun plans this year in the comments below.
