As I write this, it is the day before my 28th birthday. A bit about me: I was born on Friday 28th August 1992 at Stepping Hill Hospital in the town I was born and raised in, Stockport, to two lovely people whom I call mum and dad. I had an older brother named Jonathan and joined a rather large but loving family. I lived in a small little house in Adswood and later moved to another house up the road where I still live today. I personally believe I live a very blessed life and have lived a very blessed life so far.
I find when I get towards my birthday I use this as a time for reflection on the year I’ve had but seeing as 2020 has been for many a rough year I thought I’d discuss things I have learnt not just this year but over my adult life.
This year we have dealt with a global pandemic, I have had a few personal losses and I know so many that have had some too, and it has been a year I’m sure we will all want to forget by the time New Years comes along. But as I come to the end of my 28th circle of the sun and as we’re pulling back to a bit of normality in life. I want to share the things that I have come to realise the older I have gotten.
1) Tomorrow is never promised. But the moment you’re in right now is. Enjoy your present moments and stop thinking about tomorrow. Cherish the moments you share with your friends and family as we never know when the last moments are.
2) Your little people don’t stay little for long so cherish those moments whilst you can. My little brother is turning 7 soon and after spending so much time with him in lockdown I realised how much he has grown up and how his likes and dislikes have changed.
3) Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. The global pandemic has taught us that life is so fragile. We need to start treating mental illness better in our systems such as work, school and even the health service. I myself have struggled with stress and anxiety of living life at the minute but I have always felt the need to be there for others. I believe that is a very big part of my personality and something I pride myself on.
4) Do the things you love regardless of what other people may think. This year has made me realise how much I love musical theatre and live music . Since the theatres of London have closed and we haven’t been able to even go to the local cinema I realised how much I love the joy of live music and theatre. I really cannot wait for the doors to open and I can finally get my chance to see a show.
5) leading on from the above. Number five is never take your life for granted. How many of us were gliding through life and not really living. This year has taught me to take a note of what’s going on around me. Look up from my phone and absorb the world I live in. We’re all guilty of living online and not living in the real world. This is something I’ve started to change. Notice the change in the trees and the world we live in.
6) Never take those you love for granted. This year so many people across the world have lost people whether it is due to Covid-19 or other things. But this pandemic and not being able to say goodbye properly has made me realise that we need to really enjoy moments together whilst people are still alive and not wait to mourn those we lose for the lost time we could have spent.
7) Find the positives in every day. Some days are hard and that is never even taken from you. You’re allowed to have bad days. You’re allowed to be sad. But every day must have one positive and it may not be easy to find it but I have started writing down my positives in a diary and when I’m having a particularly bad day I can go over them to cheer myself up. sometimes you have to do dig deeper to find it but I’m sure it will be there.
8) Never be afraid to ask questions. This year has taught me to ask why? Why do we do the things we do, or say the words we say. I have started researching things i don’t understand and finding more information about the world I live in. I was always told “every day you learn something new, if you haven’t learnt anything it’s a day wasted”
9) always take and interest in the world around you. Even if you believe it doesn’t affect you. I, as a white British female, am ever racially stigmatised by the police or institutions in the world, but the black lives matter movements we see around the world are important to me because of the loss of lives so unnecessary that happen every day around the world. I took my time to read up on the news around the world and especially in the United States and signed petitions to help those so deeply affected. We should always take and interest in the world news as eventually this is the world we are leaving for the generations after in our bloodlines. Let’s leave them something to be proud of.
10) Never. Ever. Ever. Ever. Ever. Vote Conservative in any election.
Thanks for reading my post. Here’s to many more birthdays in the future.
Natalie
Xoxoxo xoxo
Continue reading “Things I Have Learnt In My Life.”
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