Well hello to you my reader chums! I recently turned 27 and honestly, it baffles me I'm closer to my thirties than my early twenties, however, I'm loving the woman I've grown into. Every year, I write a birthday post on either experiences or learnings and this year, I wanted to step back and reflect on what I'm grateful for.

Gratitude is one of the most important things for living a positive life and enjoying what life offers. To celebrate my birthday, here is a list of 27 things I'm grateful for.

My family and friends

I have the most adoring family and friends around me and as I've gotten older, these connections have grown even deeper. I'm lucky to have people in my inner circle who are my biggest cheerleaders and my biggest support system. Whether it's wanting to book a fun holiday or go to a coffee shop to have a chat, they're always up for spending the time. As I've grown, I've increasingly improved in opening up to my family and friends, developing our relationships more.

My supportive partner

I've been dreaming of finding true love for a long time, a love where that person supports me, grows with me and wants to be silly with me always. I'm lucky to find that in my partner who from the first moment of meeting me, has been a constant in my life. We love to adventure together and do the little parts of life together which makes my heart so full. I'm grateful for us to grow together and see what our future holds.

Living by the beach

I've lived by the beach my entire life and it's home to me. There's something to peaceful in knowing the sound of the waves is only a few minutes away from my home. I love heading to the beach for strolls, reading and enjoying the sunshine. I've recently moved to another beach town as well and love it just as much. I appreciate how wonderful it is to have the beach on my doorstep.

Working for myself

My biggest goal in life has always been to run my own business and work for myself, and here I am today, making it work. I started full-time freelancing this year and it's progressing exactly how I wanted and can't wait to see what the future holds for my career. 

My travels

Travelling is one of my biggest passions and as you may guess from this blog, I love nothing more than roaming around new cities and countries. I've been privileged enough to travel to 27 countries and many of those I've seen more than once, and I'm excited to see even more countries on my list.

My local freelancing community

When I started freelancing, I was worried about how lonely the experience would be. However, where I live, there's an amazing co-working group which I've joined and regularly attend multiple times a week. It has given me the opportunity to develop great connections with other freelancers, grow my confidence and find 'colleagues'. 

Beach sunsets

I'm obsessed with sunsets, especially on the beach. I think there's something so magical about watching the day come to a close with the calm ambience of the waves. With the beach on my doorstep, I can watch as many sunsets as possible.

My flexible schedule

Working for myself means I've finally been able to experience the flexible schedule I've always wanted. This means I'm able to work based on my productivity levels, slot in hobbies I want to do and socialise on weekdays whenever I like, rather than waiting until the weekend.

The wonder of books

Books have been my biggest passion from a very young age and to this day, reading brings me an incredible amount of joy. I'm obsessed with various books but especially, historical fiction, crime thrillers and feminist literature. 

My writing skills

My obsession with books is what fuelled my passion for writing. I've been wanting to write since I began to read and as I grew so did my writing skills and today, I've written five books and have a career in writing - everything I've dreamt of.

Baking cookies whenever I want

I love to bake, and I love brownies, cookies and cake more than anything. One of the little things as an adult I love is to bake whenever I want to. If I crave cookies or brownies, I can bake them in my own kitchen and it's wonderful.

All types of food

Food is one of the greatest things in life and I adore trying new cuisines and different types of foods. I'm grateful for all the restaurants around me that I can regularly visit.

Relaxing in coffee shops

There is something so peaceful about sitting in a coffee shop and reading a book or having a chat with a pal. In my town, there are many gorgeous coffee shops to enjoy this simple pleasure.

Yoga on the beach

I recently started yoga classes on the beach and love the relaxing element of it, and also appreciate how accessible it is where I live.

Musical theatre

I adore musicals and think I've seen around 15 in total over the years. I could happily see musical theatre shows time and time again - they are beautiful. One of my favourite pleasures is playing musical theatre tunes and singing my heart out.

Nostalgic music

Music is one of the best things about life and hearing someone's thoughts through their songs is a gorgeous experience. There are so many tunes and albums which bring back a nostalgic feeling and I love listening to them on repeat.

My blog

I've had this blog for ten years and to this day, it brings me an immense amount of joy to write and share my thoughts with the internet. 

My Italian heritage 

Being half-Italian is something I'm incredibly proud of and every time I visit Italy, my heart feels so full. I love Italy and how it is a part of my heritage and soul.

Trying to make new recipes

Cooking is another favourite thing as I love how there's so much you can do with food and there are plenty of recipes to try.

Road trips

The joy of a road trip is the best, there's something entertaining about sticking on some tunes or a podcast and admiring the scenery around me.

Plane rides

Soaring through the sky is a phenomenal feeling, knowing you start the day in one location and end it in another. I've been lucky enough to make use of travelling and experiencing many plane rides.

Freedom of living the life of my dreams

It's amazing to be sitting here living what I've dreamt about growing up. I always wanted to work for myself, be in a loving relationship and stay living by the beach - and I'm here doing just that. I love how I have the freedom to do exactly what I want.

My body

I've had a love-hate relationship with my body for years and it has taken me a while to accept it and learn to love it as my body has changed through the years. However, I'm incredibly grateful for the powerful things my body does for me every day and continues to do.

My anxious brain

I used to think anxiety was a hindrance in my life but as I've grown, I've realised what a positive effect it can have and how it has helped me develop and achieve things I never thought I would. Living with anxiety has certainly been a journey over the past decade but I'm grateful for the lessons it has taught me and how it has made me more understanding and empathetic to others.

The power of kindness

Kindness is all around us, from the little things loved ones do to a greeting of a stranger. It's what makes life so magical.

Dungarees

I live in dungarees and they're my favourite item of clothing to wear on whatever occasion. They're comfy, cute and suit me perfectly.

Quality time with loved ones

My loved ones mean the world to me and I wish I could spend every day with them all and enjoy life. But as life does get so busy, I appreciate all the quality time loved ones make for me and the things we do together.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are you grateful for?

Thank you for reading <3