Ten Things to Do for Your Birthday

~ patwdoyle11

As a lover of lists, you know I was excited to be sent a list of 10 Things To Celebrate Your Birthday. Looking at the list, I think it would be hard to do all in one day. Perhaps that’s why some folks celebrate a birthday week? Or a birthday month!

In the past few years as I’ve gotten older, I’ve not put much focus on my birthday, feeling it was just another day. But this year, post cancer, I had a need to be more celebratory and the list certainly helped!

So how successful was I in celebrating this year?

  1. Drink Champagne.   What a great first thing, and yes, I did.   Hubby took me to dinner and a restaurant of my choice. OK, I made the reservations and he went along with me. But they gave me a complimentary glass of champagne for my birthday!
  2. Do Something Out of Your Comfort Zone. A number of blogging buddies are actively pursuing out-of-comfort-zone things this year. For me, yes I did one on my birthday.   I shared the draft of my book with someone to read and comment/edit. A terrifying moment when I hit send! Oh and hubby “gave” me scooter for my BD, so now I need to get lessons and a license.   Another big out-of-comfort zone thing in the works.
  3. Do Something You Always Do. This was easy…see note above about dinner out. Love me a nice dinner date, with wine. But we also went to a craft fair in the afternoon, another favorite thing to do!
  4. Host a Potluck. Well, this fits within the birthday month. Another out-of-my comfort zone activity, but also part of my retirement lifestyle vision. I adore dinner with friends and doing this dog-days-of-summer potluck with friends will hopefully be the first of many.
  5. Plan a Fabulous Trip. A work in progress because the trip will be this winter. (When I got to this point in the list, I also wondered how to do it all on the same single day!)
  6. Make Resolutions. Another work in progress as I am re-thinking my retirement lifestyle action plan with a completed new vision board and some personal reflection in a 21-day meditation series finishing right after my birthday.
  7. Reinvent Yourself. As part of my self-reflection, I’m trying to understand where I need to continue to grow and where I need to accept where I am and celebrate those elements.
  8. Eat Cake. It was a lemon tart with fresh cherries on top and it was scrumptious!
  9. Use the Freebies. I laughed at this one, but yes, I used them and bought a pair of clam-shell-pink cropped pants. Yes, pink. Just because!
  10. Buy yourself a gift. And yes, did this was well. At the local craft fair, a pair of Turkish towels that I certainly did not need. But one will look amazing as a wrap with those pink pants. 🙂

It was a fun birthday. I enjoyed getting all the FB Happy Birthday posts as well as the family phone calls.   And, I am very grateful for being able to celebrate another birthday!

What do you do to celebrate your day (especially as you get older)?

 

Picture Credit: Pixabay

Published by patwdoyle11

Life is a series of transitions and my blog captures my retirement transition journey.

52 thoughts on “Ten Things to Do for Your Birthday”

    2. Suzy – Wow… what a birthday present to yourself! A friend just came back from a European trip – the 7 countries in 21 days kind – and claimed Spain was her favorite. It’s never been on my go-to list, but perhaps it should be.

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  5. 10 is a lot. lol Happy birthday Pat I am glad you enjoyed your day. My birthday is coming up on the 23rd but have no real plans but as I say every day on this side of the grass is a good day so I am sure I will enjoy myself.

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  6. Happy birthday Pat! I love your list and that you did (or at least took action) on all of them.I may have to borrow this idea when my birthday rolls around. I’m so happy you are around to enjoy another year. Make the most of it!

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  7. Great list but some of these would be hard to do in the short term – like reinventing yourself.

    I know some people who celebrate their birthdays for an entire week though… with different groups and so forth! #teamlovinlife

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    1. Deborah, Some are hard to do at all in a day or even a week. (My Fabulous Trip ideas are certainly longer than that!) I looked at it kinda like a new-year’s thinking, even of those resolutions tend to not come to fruition. Just another life moment that gives us a chance to stop and re-evaluate. I’ve been doing that with an anniversary of my retirement, and yes, the reinventing myself is certainly not a week long thing!

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  8. Not sure I would ever get a scooter for my birthday, my husband knows my driving skills all too well. Will have to include some of these into my birthday week or year as it’s a big one next January!! Sounds like your one was a good one Pat. Here’s too many more.

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    1. Thanks Suzanne. The scooter is something I’ve talked about for years… talk about being outside my comfort zone! First step is permit and driving lessons. Yes, I’m not that crazy… I plan on taking lessons!

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  9. Happy birthday (slightly belated!) and I want your pink pants – I’m a big fan of coloured capri pants – although the last ones I had seem to have shrunk on the clothes hanger (???) I’m also a big fan of birthday week – something my husband started doing for me when I turned 50 and it continues – I love that it’s special for a few days instead of just one day of the year.
    #MLSTL 🙂

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    1. Hi Leanne, I’ve had clothes shrink on the hanger as well. Or in the wash… which I blame on hubby since he does 90% of the laundry. It’s not the yummy bread from the bakery nor the trip to the creamy-whip for summer-time cones. LOL. I have not worn the pink pants yet, but have the first outfit laid out. It’s not my daily look… which this time of year is cargo shorts and t-shirts and flip flops. Maybe I need a second weekend of BD celebrations so I can wear the outfit!

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  10. Sounds like a fabulous birthday!! I love your suggestions and will pin for future reference (btw… I always save the coupons and use every single one of them!) 🙂

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  11. Happy belated birthday, Pat. Sounds like you enjoyed a fun-filled day and have a few more things to look forward to. I’m all for celebrating the whole week, month, or even year 🙂

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  12. My wife is a big proponent of the “birthday month” concept and utilizes it fully. 😃. We did make fairly big deals out of our 60th birthday celebrations, but typically, I don’t do much of anything special. I will drink wine on my birthday for sure, but that’s not unusual! As one gets older though, the realization comes through loud and clear that it’s a privilege to achieve and celebrate another year on the planet, so it deserves some kind of special attention.

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    1. Yeah to Jackie for fully utilizing the full month philosophy! And yes, it is a privilege to achieve another year on the planet. It was quite fun to commemorate it this year using the list I found. I’m thinking cake and champagne in addition to your wine is totally needed from now on!

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  13. Happy birthday, beautiful. You have much to celebrate! And it sounds like you did just that. Complete with champagne. Love that you included some activities outside your comfort zone. Bravo!! Hope we get to see those pink pants in the very near future.

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  15. I was actually due on Dec 29, but arrived two months earlier – my mother spent my life jokingly saying she didn’t know if I was a trick or a treat! I know others who love having their bday on Halloween. I think it is how the family treats it — good luck to your niece and her son – I’m sure they’ll make it special! I’m thinking I might plan something big for my 60th….otherwise I appreciate low-key for now.

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    1. I like the “not sure if trick or treat”! My niece hopefully will consider her son a treat… she worked hard and for years to have a child (infertility and its many set-backs). I didn’t do anything big for hubby’s 60th and now wish I had. I did for his 50th, which was weird because he doesn’t like big gatherings but wanted one for that BD. I’m beginning to understand about celebrating life. Net… plan something for your 60th! It’s a major milestone.

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  16. What a great list! I too will have to refer to it as my birthday approaches. Some time after my 40th birthday, I realized that the only person responsible for making me happy was me and that included making my birthday as special or low-key as I wanted. This list inspires me 🙂

    Glad you had a special birthday and I hope your personal new year is equally special.

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    1. Joanne, Isn’t it a fun list? Part of me wanted to share it more broadly just for that.

      I read a blog post recently that referenced a young woman’s last words. Combined with my recent health challenge, it reminded me I should be happy for every year I am given. So celebrating this year (even if not considered a big one) felt right.

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  17. Hi Pat,
    You did so well celebrating your big day! Glad to hear that the restaurant was a hit and worth the early reservation. Like others, I’ll keep this list handy, not for my birthday this year, but it will be a good starting point when planning for my 60th next year. I want to give that one some serious thought, and think that Kathy’s plan of a birthday month sounds ideal.

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    1. Karen, Oh yeah, a month for the 60th sounds right. But please do at least one or 2 this year as well. Cake and champagne is never a bad thing to commemorate the day… and a good kick-off for the beginning of your 60th year on the planet.

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  19. Hi Pat! Happy Belated Birthday. Sorry I missed your big day but I am one of those people who celebrates for a minimum of a week if it’s a regular BD and a month if it’s a big one. I happen to love to celebrate for just about any reason so every birthday deserves attention. And it sounds like you’ve made the most of yours. Keep it up! ~Kathy

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    1. Kathy, Thanks. I can totally understand the week long celebration now! Mine actually went a full weekend as some IRL friends turned a let’s catch dinner into a birthday celebration for me (surprise to me) … with gifts and champagne! I might be hooked on this going forward. So, following you as a role model, the big one in a couple of years I can celebrate for a whole month? Neat!

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  20. Happy birthday, Pat! I think it’s so wonderful that your husband gave you a scooter for your birthday… how fun is that! I think you checked off all ten items with style. I’ll have to hold on to these for my birthday (in boring January, so I need some excitement). I hope you continue to feel the specialness of your birthday going forward. It’s NOT just another day. Do something you love.

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    1. Thanks Janis. Technically he gave me a check to buy a scooter…I need to get a license first (needed in Ohio), which means getting a permit and taking a multi-day class. I’ve pulled the info on class schedules and I WILL plan one. This is very out of my comfort zone, so I need to keep telling myself to DO IT! I won’t buy one until I can ride one (just in case that DO IT never happens…. see how far out of my comfort one this is! And why I’m telling folks to drive accountability.)

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  21. Happy Birthday Pat! Mine is on the 23rd and I will be 61 so not a ‘special’ birthday but still a time to celebrate my life. Thanks for some ideas on how I can enjoy my birthday. I’ve been wanting to reinvent myself, not sure how yet, so that is one point I’ll take plus we have a cruise to Japan in October to look forward to. Have a beautiful week and sounds like you enjoyed your birthday. xx

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    1. Hi Sue, Thank you, Another August birthday! This was not a special one for me either (58) and so it felt a bit odd “celebrating”, but doing it felt so good. Obviously my reinvention is a work in progress, but pick a few others for the actual 23rd. At least champagne and cake!

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  22. Pat, thank you for your retirement blog. I love all your lists and ideas on how to be purposeful about retirement planning. After six years of retirement, I think I’m going to have to become purposeful. In a week we become empty nesters. Having a student tends to help fill your calendar and time. Now everyday will truly be a “Saturday”. I had no problem leaving my work career but I am definitely mourning the end of my “mom” career. So I will definitely be trying some of your “what’s next” tools.

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    1. Thanks for your comment. The “purposeful about retirement planning” made me smile because I always wonder if I’m living a purposeful life! A friend who dealt with empty nest but is still working thought some of the tools worked for her. It’s a transition that creates similar emotional challenges… who am I now (if not the mom concierge and chauffeur), what do I do with my time, where do I find my validation. I’m a structure-girl so the tools worked for me. Hopefully some will work for you – so steal, reapply, modify. Find your path!

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  23. Happy Birthday, Pat. Sounds like you had a terrific day. I am glad to read that you enjoyed a mixture of comfort and out-of-your comfort zone activities.
    Thank you for sharing this list. I have a birthday (ending in ‘0’) coming up this October. I have been trying to think of ways to best celebrate!

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  24. Pat – I had no idea it was your birthday — Happy Birthday! Sounds like you enjoyed a wonderful day. As my birthday is Halloween and for 13 years in the convent we weren’t allowed to celebrate birthdays, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with my birthday. Stores have already begun selling Halloween stuff (Ugh!) so I know it’s coming up….On my 31st birthday (golden) I wrote a letter to the Bishop requesting a dispensation from my vows. On my 35th I prepared for the birth of our second son (born Nov 5th). On my 40th birthday, I asked a student to put my hair in cornrows. Didn’t look good, hurt like heck, and I couldn’t last more than a few hours before I undid them. Every year I wear an orange sweatshirt with a little ghost on it that reads “I am the treat”. This year will be my 55th — hmmm, what shall I do?

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    1. Janet, My niece scheduled her c-section for Halloween and I wondered what her son would think of that as he got older. I love the sweatshirt with “I am the treat”! It’s kinda cool you have some significant moments on your birthday. Except for my 50th, I haven’t really celebrated them in years. It was delightful celebrating life this year; now I see why folks do it. Lot’s of options…. I especially recommend number 8. 🙂

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