Twenty Eight

It’s my birthday today and I just wanted to reflect on a few things. I’ve officially lived an entire decade as an adult. That’s over 10 years of being able to drink and drive (not at the same time of course!) I cannot believe where the last 10 years have gone, and the fact that in another 10 years I will nearly be 40. Where does time go?!

I still remember my 18th birthday quite well. I remember going into the city to buy an 18 DVD, and I didn’t even get asked for ID. I had pizza hut, but I’m not sure I had any alcoholic drinks. I was in sixth form at the time and earned a part time wage, yet seemed to have so much more money than I do now – funny that! My weekends when I turned 18 were all about going to The Waterfront, Norwegian Blues and Lloyds. It was the place to be at the time. I remember having a house party and then spending a lot of time at other house parties as not quite everyone was 18. It was all about getting insanely drunk on cheap alcopops and then walking home or crashing out on a sofa. Those days seem like a lifetime ago. We’ve all grown up, moved on. We have our own lives and pets and homes. People are married, some with children and we no longer spend all of our money on VKs and sweet and sour chicken balls (most of the time).

I went out a lot during my 18th year. I dread to think how much money I spent on alcohol, taxis, gig tickets and cheesy chips. I went to gig after gig at the UEA, every week including bands like Go:Audio, Funeral for a Friend, Enter Shikari and The Gallows all in 2008. I got my first car, a Peugeot 106 and have had 4 more cars since.

28 for me is the age I get married. The year I become a wife. I leave behind 27 and 2007, the year I  went to New York, got engaged and started to make my house a home. An amazing year with its highs and extreme lows. I think 28 will top 27, I don’t know why – I can just feel it. I have big things planned for this year, and I can’t wait to fully enjoy the remaining years of my 20’s. The best days are still to come.

Here’s to 28! Cheers.

How I Break out of Autopilot With Marks & Spencer #SpendItWell Campaign* #ad

The well know brand Marks and Spencer are encouraging Brits to make the most of every day moments and to really grab life by the horns all in the name of Make it Matter Day on the 1st June. If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen that I have been sharing some of the ways that I make time for the things in life that really matter. I have been challenging myself to break out of autopilot and make the most of every day. M&S are working on a project that focuses on what really matters in life, making time for what is important and empowering yourself and the community. This campaign is called #SpendItWell and as part of it M&S have found that Brits don’t make the most of every day life.

Most lunch breaks are spent in the office for me with my packed lunch at my desk. Earlier this week I decided to break out of autopilot and go for a nice walk in the fresh air. I took a visit to is Elm Hill which is a well-known area in Norwich. Many of the buildings down Elm Hill date back to the Tudor period and it has even been used for film locations, most recently Stardust. It is said to be haunted, although I have walked down here many times at night and not experienced anything strange.. yet! The Briton’s Arms is a 15th Century building with cellars dating to the 13th century. This was one of the only buildings to escape the fire of 1507 which destroyed many houses. It is now a coffee house and restaurant and one of the only timber-framed medieval buildings left in Norwich.

I loved taking a walk and finding out about the history of my beautiful city. The best part is, I work about 10 minutes away from this lovely historic street and by heading outside for a change meant that I could really appreciate the walk around town. The fresh air also cleared my head and when I returned to my desk at work, I was raring to go again which in turn helped my performance.  M&S found that 96% of us feel like we spend life on autopilot, the result being that we say ‘yes’ four times a day when we really want to say ‘no’. I have now realised how simple it is to break free from that.

Today I took the time to take my mums dog for a long walk. It was so nice to get out of the house once again and gave my mum some peace and quiet at home. Both me and Macy appreciated the fresh air in the end!

Already by just doing these small activities I feel more content and happy in life. It doesn’t have to be big things, the small things also play a part in spending life well. 81% of us think that it’s the small things that make a big difference but we don’t make enough time for these things. Simply lighting a candle can be enough, or treating yourself to your favourite cup of coffee. How about having a delicious home cooked meal with friends and family.

Make it Matter Day on 1st June is a national day where M&S want to show what matters to them. You can get involved too by sharing the things that matter to you. Share the ways you break out of autopilot using the hashtag #SpendItWell. You only get one life. For more info, head over to the M&S Spend it Well page.

*Sponsored Post