fun and cheap ways to celebrate turning a year older!

For those who may not know, I just recently celebrated a birthday! #geminiseason This year I turned 31 and because it’s technically not a milestone birthday (and because I went all out for my 30th) I decided I wanted to spend this year’s birthday doing fun and inexpensive festivities around the city. The day ended up being more than I could’ve hoped it would be! It took me a while to land on exactly what I wanted to make the day still feel special without doing the most! And If I had to take a guess, you’re feeling similarly and that’s what’s brought you to my blogpost. Well first, let me say Happy (Belated) Birthday, Friend! The world is better because you’re in it! Now let’s get you inspired to plan the most perfect day to celebrate!

Select Good Company

First things first, the company we keep is EVERYTHING! It’ll make or break an experience, so when planning a day to honor or celebrate yourself, be selective on who you invite to share the day and space with you. It’s not personal, its protective. This year, I decided I wanted things to feel lowkey, intimate, loving and non-sacrificial. So obviously I chose to celebrate the day with Lj! He goes with my flow, he’s low maintenance and he’s extremely considerate of what I might want or be feeling in any given moment. And though I don’t require much, ease of the day and great conversation were mandatory – two things he’s going to master every time!

Embrace an Unexpected Adventure

I identify as a girl, better yet a woman, in every sense of the word. And being the woman that I am, naturally, I couldn’t find anything to wear the morning of! I think I tried on 15 outfits and hated all of them so much so that I almost threw the whole day away! As soon as I got to my “screw it, i’m not going” moment, Lj told me to throw on my makeup and suggested we go pick an outfit for me to wear together. Never did I think a random trip to the store for a quick little outfit could be so much fun! And in 30 minutes, I was dressed, relieved and ready to jump into the day. I say all of that to say, embrace the random plans the day throws at you unexpectedly. It may just make for an exciting adventure!

Great Food & Drinks are Mandatory

For me, a great day isn’t a great day without great food. So it was a must that we tried a new restaurant as part of the day’s agenda! My baby sister came in clutch in sending us a list of new and hot spots we hadn’t been to before and we landed at a spot that had the coolest drinks and a bomb ass brunch menu…mission accomplished. We sat at the bar, asked for recommendations and we both tried something we’d never had before! Traveling your pallet is the best alternative to traveling your physical being. Needless to say we left full and I’d lie if I said I wasn’t a little tipsy too (Thanks motherhood for making me a lightweight)!

Prioritize Spontaneity

To many people’s surprise, I have something like 12 tattoos on my body (goody two shoes, who?!). And when I think of thrilling spontaneity, increasing my “body count” (of tattoos, ya nasty!) is always top of the list. I was actually overdue in getting LeiLei’s birthday added to my shoulder so it only made sense I pay a visit to our local shop and grab some ink! Maybe tattoos aren’t your thing, that’s okay too! There’s amusement parks, river floats, hikes, bungee jumping or sky diving if you’re feeling fancy. Explore something that gets your adrenaline pumping and gives you a fun story to tell later!

Restraint is Unnecessary

And self-indulgence is implied. I’m a “you only live once” type of gal so I made certain not to rob myself of the little things that make a moment for me. Whether it’s my favorite Starbucks drink or an ice cream cake, a trap song playlist or a random outburst of laughter in public – if my heart desired it, so it was. I encourage you to follow suit and save the discipline for another day, friend! Life is meant to be enjoyed, what makes a moment for you?

End with Ultimate Comfort

Let’s say you were asked what does the most comforting moment or experience look like for you…what would you say? For me, there are a few options to choose from. But on my birthday this year, it was a spicy seafood boil, and cuddles with my babies in our big ol king size bed, watching movies until we fall asleep. Other times a good board game night, a Nextflix and chill session (now you can be nasty 😏), a night walk and stargaze, a bubble bath and wine or even a drive in movie with snacks and blankets will do the trick. Whatever does it for you, give yourself that gift. If not any day, you deserve it on your day!

I could go on but I’ll spare you my ramble. I hope you found a little inspiration today, Happy Planning! Want a little visual sneak peek into what my day looked like? Follow me on Instagram, I love a good reel and share them often!