I’m turning 30 today.
This feels strange and a bit unreal, to be honest because if you ask me, I’m still (and forever 19) in my head. I feel like I’m supposed to be more of an adult and have things figured out, but… well. Turns out adulting is a scam and we’re all faking it and doing our best, aren’t we?
October 15th is my birthday and, traditionally, on that day, I write a little recap of the past year of my life. Things I did, places I went to and so on.
Blogging hasn’t been my priority in the past few months, as you’ll notice. I come and go, I’m slow to interact and even slower to come out with new, exciting blog posts. To be completely honest, I feel like this 29th year of my life is where I lost a little bit of my blogging spark. I mentioned it before, if you’re a regular reader here, but I feel like my priorities and my love has changed, grown and I’m just following the tide, the inspiration and my own personal goals.
Still, it really means a lot to me to write these personal posts, even if they’re just for myself to look back on, later on.
Anyway, enough of the babbling, let’s get to it, shall we. Obviously, this is a list of personal highlights and life can’t be summed up in.. well, I’m up to a list of 30 points today. Life happens, in good, bad, complex ways, but it’s there. Here’s to another year under the sun and hoping that 30 really is the year I just feel confident with myself and don’t give a damn. We all deserve to, don’t we.
This past year, I…
- Finished editing my sister’s wip 3rd draft
- Spent New Year in Strasbourg with my sister
- Started the first draft of my revenge wip,
- Went to Paris with my sister and visited the Friends experience (and bought a giant Hugsy because what else am I supposed to do?)
- Changed directions at my current job -in a great way
- Got way too cold at the beach on a windy February day
- Got feedback on my writing, both encouraging and terrifying
- Felt way too stressed
- Visited Milan, Italy, with my love…
- And Venice and its labyrinth streets,
- Anxiously waited for spring to finally get there,
- Got encouraging compliments and growth at work
- Felt like I fit in and felt more comfortable there, as well
- Spent time with my family
- Fought and managed to get tickets to a one-night-only concert for my sister’s birthday…in LONDON
- And cried, because once again, what else am I supposed to do here, seeing my favorite band live again?!
- Also made piles of books I couldn’t buy at Waterstones, because… well, you get it now. BOOKS.
- Took a train to Amsterdam, Netherlands with my sister,
- Where we stumbled on stairs and got Montana Sky stuck in our heads for 3 days,
- Tried being more active on bookstagram -it comes and goes, really,
- Tried my best with therapy,
- Grew my first tomatoes, sunflowers and eggplants
- Went on a road trip back home…
- and then back to Italy again with my love, at the lovely lake Como
- Finished writing the first draft of the revenge book
- Started writing the 4th draft of the sister’s book,
- Fought and screamed and lost my mind over concert tickets for 2024 (GOT THEM!)
- Really started thinking SERIOUSLY about my writing
- Went back to England for the summer (London, Brighton, the Costwolds) with my sister
- Felt anxious, stressed, worthless, excited, happy, depressed, alive.
Throwback: my goals for my 29th year
Here were my goals for last year and how I did with them.
- I want to carry on with my writing goals ☀️
Well… I’m actually proud of how much I managed to write in the past year. I’ve been saying it in the past couple of years, how I want to take my writing more seriously and… I’m happy to say that I do. I prioritize it more, when I get some free time I actually want to use it for writing. I wrote an entire first draft in 6 months, which is a FEAT for me. I’m slow at editing now, since I have a LOT of re-writing to do, but I’m carrying on.
- Travel, as much as I can ☀️
2023 has been a beautiful year for traveling, really. I’ve been lucky enough to use my vacation days to travel a lot in the past 12 months, and I feel lucky enough to be surrounded by people who love and crave traveling as much as I do.
- Take care of my mental health 🌥
It’s a mixed bag here, but… well, it was expected. I’m trying my best and, some days are better than others, I guess.
Looking forward: my goals for this new year
Nothing new under the sun here, just hoping to carry on and make some things concrete in 2024, who knows?!
- Carry on with my writing projects. I have some ideas, some things I really want to do, next and… well. For now, it’s all in the planning, thinking, freaking out stages, but yeah. Expect me to talk more about writing, I guess, I hope? Fingers crossed.
- Travel. As always, it’s one of my main goals. Traveling is like breathing and I hope I can continue to make it a priority, as much as life allows me to.
- Take care of myself.
If you want to support my work on the blog and just wish me a happy birthday (🥺😭), I have a ko-fi as well as a wishlist. Forever grateful to all of you reading this today. Thank you for being here, I appreciate you all more than words can say.
When is your birthday? Do you like making lists of resolutions for your birthday?
Do you enjoy reading these kind of personal posts? I’d love to know, so please feel free to let me know in comments!
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Happy Birthday!! Wishing all the things!
Thank you so much!!
Happy Birthday!
Thank you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE – and i hope you succeed in all your goals in the year ahead! have a wonderful day!!!
Thank you so, so much for your kind words!! <3
Happy birthday! It looks like you had a fulll year, i hope your upcoming year is great. it’s alright to have lost a bit of blogging spark, i think there will always be ups and downs. maybe you’ll find your way back or not, but we can’t expect it to remain the same, especially after several years 😬
Thank you so much! <3 You're so right, we're all growing, changing and I guess so is blogging. Let's hope I find the spark again ahah. Tahnk you so much <3
happy birthday, marie! it sounds like you’ve had a good year full of tiny adventures and hopefully this upcoming years is full of lots more adventure plus as many blessings as there are stars! <3
Thank you so, so, so much for your kind words, this means SO much!! <3
Happy Birthday Marie!
Thank you so much, Sophie! 🙂
Happy 30th birthday Marie!! 🎉🥂
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Marie, I love these posts of yours so so so much. I also feel like you’ve done so amazing with your writing this past year, it truly excites me and I’ll forever be one of your biggest cheerleaders, hehe. I totally get what you mean about blogging, I’m very in and out, but I’m glad that our blogs still exist as places to leave thoughts and reflect, at minimum?
I actually haven’t really made lists of resolutions for my birthdays it seems, but I feel like maybe it’s something I should start doing!
Oh thank you so much, you’re too kind, forever grateful to have you as a cheerleader!! <3 <3 It's always fun to look back on your resolutions later on, so 100% recommending this! :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE!!!!!! 🎉😊❤️ I hope you have the best day ever!
It sounds like you had quite a beautiful year of growth and travel! You sent your 20s off in a really nice way. I turn the big 3-0 next month (Nov. 13!! 😱) so I get how you’re feeling. I honestly still feel 18 I don’t feel like I’ll be departing my 20s soon. I wish you nothing but the best on your special day and into the next decade! 💜✨
Thank you so much!! <3 Oh yay, very soon! It feels a bit strange, I feel like I'm still 19 years old as well ahah :)
You’re welcome! 😊 It is soon and you know what’s funny, this entire year I’ve been very whatever about it, but now that it’s approaching I’m like ooohhhh and because it’s a big birthday I feel pressure to make it big. I know that I don’t but woof haha! I hope you had a really good birthday!
Ahah it does feel big, I get it! I personally didn’t make a big thing out of it, but looking back, I wonder if I should have ahah, the pressure! I hope you’ll have a FANTASTIC one!! ❤️❤️
Right?! It’s like I don’t want to regret it, if I don’t do something big, but at the same time I honestly don’t feel invested enough to make it huge. I hate the looming feeling I have right now. I just want everything to be planned already! haha Thank you so much! ❤️😊
I get that so much ahah, but whatever you do, it’ll be GREAT, as long as you’re happy about it!! <3 <3
Thank you so much! Things are starting to come together, so that’s making me happy! 😊❤️
YAY, so excited to hear this! <3
❤️❤️
“…because if you ask me, I’m still (and forever 19) in my head.” ngl this is me for the past 3 years, I’m just forever confused that time is still progressing but yeah. Time is wild and for some reason I thought you were turning like 28/29 today not 30. Regardless HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY – hope your day was amazing and you had a wonderful day!
I adore your personal posts so much and my birthday is soon (nov 1st) honestly the post I had outlined for it I may swap out. I was contemplating whether to do a a recap of my year since I am so bad at remembering all the good things that have happened in the year; I also just like the idea of collating some memories in one place you know? We’ll see if I decide to be chaotic and just swap round my posts haha.
I’m so happy you were able to travel so much and do all these things. Blogging doesn’t always have to be a priority and there’s no shame in letting it sit on the backseat whilst you focus on other things that bring you joy. Sending you so much love and I can’t wait to see what your next year round the sun has in store for you love! 💜
I feel so old ahah, thank you so much Clo!! ❤️❤️
I get that, I really like the idea of looking back on the good things, whether they’re small or big, just, feels nice to look back at that kind of post afterwards.
Thank you so, so much, this means so much ❤️ So grateful to have you in my life!!
Happy birthday!! I hope you have the most amazing day. My birthday is coming up on December 2nd!!
Thank you so much!! <3 Ahh so soon, yay!
Happy 30, Marie! ❤️❤️
My bestfriend’s 30th bday is on the 19th, and I had to frantically check on the calender for a second 😝 man, it is approaching fast!
Thank you so, so much!! and happy belated birthday to your best friend! <3
happy happy late birthday marie!! i hope you had a lovely day ❤️❤️ i am so happy for all the wonderful things that you’ve been able to do (all your travel looks just amazing) and i’m glad you’ve been able to push through all the bad as well. wishing you another year of happiness and health!!
MAY!! <3 Thank you so, so, so much!! <3
Happy 30th birthday Marie 🥰 I hope you had a great day and I loved getting to see some of your highlights here! (I am all for personal posts)!
I am soo happy you had a positive change in your job and your travel opportunities sounds wonderful! The Cotswolds is beautiful, I have a soft spot for the English countryside!
Congrats on all your writing progress too!
Here’s to the next year! 🎉🎉
Thank you so, so much, Sophie, you’re too kind!!! ❤️
Happy belated birthday!! What an amazing year you’ve had. I’m very jealous of all the travels in Europe! I wish I lived in London … maybe one day! I hope you had an amazing birthday!
Thank you so, so much Jenna! <3 Oh I hope you'll get to live there someday, honestly one of my favorite places. Or just come visit sometime soon!! <3
It’s definitely a goal of mine!! I went there in October of last year and I fell in love. Got to see Zuky the BookBum while I was there as well which was so cool! Might have to visit again soon!
Ahh that’s amazing! I hope you’ll get to come by… and you can stop by France, as well, I’m not that far away from London aerm ahah! ❤️❤️
Yes!! That’d be amazing!
Happy belated birthday! 💙 I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating and that your next year ahead is filled with everything you could ever have hoped for! Your travel pictures already always make me wide-eyed with longing, so I’m hoping lots more cool places are coming your way so I can live vicariously through you 😁
But lol, even though I haven’t quite reached 30 yet, everything you said about adulting is so true! I definitely have no idea at all what I’m doing, and then there are my students and their parents asking ME for advice 😂🙈
Anyway, I always love these more personal posts of yours – and this one is really inspiring. I might have to make some birthday resolutions this year, too, but since mine is in December, maybe I’ll also be a bit lazy and just combine that with New Year’s resolutions in general 🙃
Thank you so, so much!!! ❤️ I hope I can take you traveling through pictures more and more ahah – and that YOU can travel, too, soon!!
It feels so strange when people ask you for advice, right? When you have no idea what you’re doing, it feels… wrong? 😂 but well, fake it ’til you make it, that’s my philosophy, I guess? 😂
Thank you so, so much! I think it’s a great idea though, I always love love love hearing about new resolutions! <3
Happy 30th! You have accomplished so many cool things. I’ve noticed you haven’t been as active on the blog, but that’s life! I was really inactive for months at a time on and off throughout most of my time blogging. I seemed to have found my spark again, but don’t pressure myself if life gets ahead of me. I wish you nothing but all you wish for and more. Make this year be as amazing as you as. xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Thank you so, so much, Melina, this means a lot ❤️ I’m so happy you found your spark again and I hope I’ll find mine, or just that I won’t lose touch with you and so many other bloggers, should I decide to go on a real proper break. ❤️
Thank you for your kind words, so grateful to have you in my life!!
If you ever decide that you have fallen out of love with blogging, and want to take a break or leave, you always know how to find me on Instagram and we can continue our chats on there 🙂 x
YES always, I don’t plan on losing you and our chats anytime soon!! 🥰🥰
Well I wrote a big ol’ comment and was foiled by the “nonce verification failed” so. ANYWAY, this one will be shorter I suppose, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope it has been a wonderful one, and it certainly sounds like you have had an amazing year! Glad you were so successful in writing and traveling, and I hope your thirties are the best time of your life so far! (Incidentally, I am a full decade older than you, and I am also absolutely still 19. That must be the age our brains fix us at or something!)
THANK YOU so much, Shannon!! ❤️❤️ I’m so glad to hear that, actually, it’s good to forever feel 19, I guess, ahah. Thank you so, so much!! ❤️❤️
I really like your reflective posts ❤️ I’ve finished my studies this year and I’m looking for a job soon, so I feel a bit worried about how much I can keep up with everything blogging related – I’m already so behind with comments and reviews 🙈
It’s great that you got to travel so much this year, it sounds like you had a lovely time 🥰 Cheering you on with your writing, I wish you all the best for your projects! I hope you had the very best birthday!! 🥳
Thank you so, so much! <3 I get it ahah, my life has changed a lot since I graduated and so has my blog, my posting and blog hopping schedule, as well. You'll find your own rhythm and, as long as you keep on doing what makes you happy, that's what matters the most! <3
Thank you so, so much for everything! <3 <3
Happiest of birthdays to you, Marie! Welcome to your 30s and I promise it isn’t as scary as you may think. I wish you nothing but the best for a fantastic year filled with love, travel, time with your loved ones, and success.
I feel you on the waning feelings when it comes to blogging. Go with it when inspiration strikes and don’t force it. Our interests and hobbies and energy for those things change all the time and there’s nothing wrong with that. xoxo
Thank you so, so, so much Kal, you’re too kind! <3 <3
You're so right, I guess I shouldn't force it, what matters is to do it when we feel like it! 🙂