My Very Grown-Up Birthday Wish List

On the eve of my 33rd birthday, I’ve been thinking a lot about presents, experiences, and the people in my life. One of my biggest goals over the past few years has been to focus on spending quality time with people in my life and creating memories. Flowers and chocolates will come and go but the laughter and tears you shared over a bottle (or three) of wine live on forever.

So, when it comes to birthdays and birthday presents, my only wish has been about experiences with friends. I have the annual Vegas trip with my girlfriends. In Seattle, I do my best to have dinner & a fun night where my friends can embarrass me (last year, it was a dueling piano bar). When it comes to things, the beauty of being an adult is being able to actually purchase what I want on my own terms. Don’t get me wrong – I appreciate thoughtful personalized presents from friends that touch on inside jokes or my quirky obsessions that make me who I am.

This year, though, as I began thinking about my birthday, I realized that my wish list is very…grown-up. As I come to terms with that, and in my attempt to actually start writing more often, I figured it would make a good blog.

A gift card to my barre studio

If you’ve been following me on social media, you know that I recently started going to barre class. The self-care journey has been a rocky one the past couple of years, and one of my best friends basically bossed me into going to class with her. I was really hesitant and scared at first but now I welcome the challenge. Of course, the challenge comes with a price tag, but the investment in my self is always worth it.

Cleaning service for my apartment

This is one of those things that’s felt like a luxury, especially since I work from home. One of the ways my anxiety and depression manifest themselves is avoidance – I avoid certain parts of my apartment. I tell myself that once I start cleaning, it will be easier. There are bursts of energy where I will scrub my bathtub at 11 PM but most times, I feel like a failure as an adult. So, this year, for my birthday, I decided I would look into hiring a cleaning service to at least give me a jumpstart. Maintenance is a lot easier than starting from scratch.

(If you’re in Seattle and have recommendations for cleaners who don’t charge a fortune, let me know!)

A spa day

If you have spent any amount of time with me in person, you’ve probably been witness to my twitchy body. I’ve had muscle spasms in my left shoulder since my late teens and when you add working at a computer all day to that, my body is a wreck. Which means I really need to start getting regular massages, and maybe throw in a facial once in a while.

Wine club membership

Because duh.

& wine glasses

Because I keep breaking mine.

America the Beautiful Pass

The goal this summer is to explore the PNW even more, and visit more national parks around the country. I have a lot to check off on my list!

Anything to do with books and writing

Because duh.

Quality time with the people I care about

There’s nothing better than sharing experiences with the people I care about – whether that’s sitting on my couch, watching Netflix, and drinking wine, or going on adventures together around the country. Every thoughtful moment is the best gift I could ever need.

How about you? What’s on your very grown-up wish list?