The joy is in the journey.
Follow Amy Morse - The Roaming Entrepreneur's - adventures in writing and entrepreneurship.
Her shenanigans, plots, plans, schemes, experiments, escapism - exploring her way to the ultimate freedom of roaming and working.
I'm a great believer in the power of setting goals and have written about this in the past: In January 2015 I published a post Ten Reasons to Train Yourself to be Goal Orientated and followed it up with a blog on How Do You Decide What Goals to Set. I'm also a big fan of lists. Anyone who regularly followers this blog on Tom Cat's Mewsings or my Authorpreneur Blog will know I'm fond of writing list posts. I've completed 3 consecutive 365 projects in the past 3 years, the first being Project Book 365, the second being Operation Author and the third, this year, was less prescriptive but nevertheless I have completed 'Authorpreneur Almanac 365 Adventures in Writing and Entrepreneurship'. I talk about my 365 projects on this blog entry: Ideas Are Powerful, Ideas Change Your World The culmination of this project will be the publication of my first non fiction book 'Authorpreneur Almanac' next year in which I'll share 26 features on writing and 26 features on entrepreneurship. This year, I'm not doing a 365 project, as such. I have 2 projects planned instead: 1. Read 12 books in 12 months - I'll leave that for next week... 2. 40 things to do before I'm 40 I put a call out on Facebook and with the help of Pinterest I've compiled a list of 40 things to do before my 40th birthday on December 29th 2016. It was challenging to come up with 40 things. There is so much I'd like to do, in fact, I started a 'Bucket List' Pinterest board as I was finding ideas for my 40 things.
Most of the things on the bucket list involve lots of money or being in another country - so choosing small, inexpensive, achievable yet worthwhile things to do - was harder than I expected. Here are a couple of examples:
I lived up trees as a kid, but haven't done this for years. I think I'll head to Victoria Park in the summer, take a notebook and pen, select a suitable tree then sit up there and write.
I like the idea of going out with some pre-written post it notes of inspiring quotes or messages then randomly leaving them for people to find.
Having that one day where you're allowed to be self indulgent and have a whole day that's all about you is tough at this time of year. No one's interested in your day when there is much more to celebrate and everyone is busy thinking about everything else at Christmas that they'll probably forget anyway. My mewsings today are for everyone out there who's birthdays are at this time of year - I feel your pain...
Kacey's comments about the effect having your birthday at Christmas has on you as a child is especially poignant.
But it's not all bad, there are pro's and con's to being a Christmas birthday babe (granted, there are more con's, but I always like to look on the bright side.)
Con's
For kids, I reiterate Kacey's comments: not being made of fuss of at school like all of your class mates is a cruel and merciless experience.
If you know someone who's birthday is at Christmas NEVER wrap their present in Christmas paper - this is a crime for which no punishment is suitable
Every year my husband complains he has to buy my birthday card in September as there are never any decent birthday cards in the shops in December, you're lucky to even find them in most places
NEVER give a Christmas birthday babe a 'joint present' - you look like a total cheapskate and an a'hole (unless they ask for something big as a joint present, then it's OK.)
No one will come to your party. My birthday is 2 days before New Year's Eve so every year the excuse is that everyone is saving themselves for that. I can't even remember the last time I had a party for my birthday - really, what's the point when no one will come?
One year I decided to have a 'half birthday' in the summer and throw a party. No one celebrated it because 'it was silly', and then when my actual birthday came round no one came because I celebrated it in the summer! Lose Lose.
You have to think of more present ideas and think carefully about what to put on your list as you only get one chance a year.
If you don't get want you wanted for Christmas, there's no second chances, you have to wait an entire year to ask again
Pro's
When I was a kid, I used to get a lump sum from our grandparents at the end of the year which meant I could buy big stuff for myself without having to think about saving up. Rubbing my brother and sister's face in it when I bought something bigger and better for myself in the January sales was like no other joy
I've never had to go to work or school on my birthday. In fact, I've never had to have any responsibilities on my birthday
It's much easier to have a low key or intimate birthday - no one will notice anyway so there's no pressure to put on a big bash.
Because it's party season, even when your Christmas birthday is mid-week bars and restaurants are busy and buzzing.
When I was working for someone else, I never had to take cakes into work on my birthday, and honestly, my colleagues have always been grateful when the staff kitchen is full of everyone's unwanted Christmas chocolates and sweets.
It's OK to just keep on partying. People are in a festive mood anyway so having a birthday just after Christmas means I start celebrating on Christmas Eve and just keep going until New Year's Eve. Result.
I'm also a big fan of lists.
