I want to do something really selfish...

[Ski40]

...for my birthday, which is in a few days. I've had two straight years fron hell, full of very nasty family dramas, health scares, two bereavements and my nearest and dearest draining me to oblivion. This is the background.
This year I am in absolutely no mood to celebrate, at least with others (except my children). I'm tired and fed up and I need a break from everybody. I have pushed unavoidable commitments into next week to free off my actual birthday date, and I've been harbouring this fantasy of dropping DC to school and taking a secret, indulgent day out just for me. Am I awful to want this? The truth is I don't even know what to do. I live in a tiny village, don't drive and have a toddler with me. So running off to a spa is out of the question (boooo....)
But I really really want to spend the day doing something just for me for a change. I feel so bruised atm that I just want to vanish!
I would really appreciate any ideas big or small that would help me achieve my wish. Has anyone ever done this and did you enjoy it or regret it? Am I being a knob??
I will celebrate with family next week but I so want a day just for me, just this once. I'm exhausted.
Sorry for ranting! I'll be fine tomorrow! 😘

*from!

In the kindest way possible I don't think anyone will be devastated if you don't want to celebrate? So I can't really understand why you think you are being so awful. At any rate you'll be celebrating with them anyway the following week?

You are only unreasonable for waiting until your birthday to do something nice for yourself

That's not unreasonable at all! You have to take your toddler along, is that right? Can you give any ideas of the sort of thing you like e.g. do you enjoy shopping/travel/sightseeing/???? I'm thinking maybe taxi to nearest railway station then go somewhere... May be too expensive though. You should give yourself a nice day anyway

Sorry wrong topic, you know what I mean though!

Absolutely nothing selfish about this at all. Is there anyone who could have your toddler - even for a few hours, an extra day at nursery maybe? - so that you can have a proper rest. Even if it weren't your birthday I would encourage you to take a day to treat yourself once a week

What do you enjoy doing? Bike ride, museum/gallery, shopping? Are you ok hanging out by yourself or would you feel self-conscious for example eating alone or at the cinema by yourself?

When I have a free day I often see a movie (I have an unlimited card so can see as many as I like!) and then maybe go for a coffee and cake, read a book in a quiet corner, go for a wander round some shops I wouldn't usually go to and buy something for the house/myself rather than for the DCs as I usually end up doing!

What is your ideal day? Make it happen!

Thank you all, it was nice to see others see this as perfectly acceptable. I love my family to death but this year I just want to disappear and recharge.
Right now my idea of a perfect day would be to jump on a train on my own, check into a lovely hotel really far away and slip into a huge empty bed with a good book and a bottle of Baileys- and then sleep until I can sleep no more! Lol. Not really doable for me at the moment, but it's made me smile just thinking about it.
I'm toying with the idea of giving myself some sort of makeover. Like a new hair colour or getting a really nice manicure.
I'm going to google what's on in my immediate area to see if there is somewhere nearby I could go to. I haven't done anything on my own for over 12 years so I have kind of lost sight of what I used to like! 🙈
Keeping all of your suggestions in mind.Thank you so much x

Have a lovely birthday when it comes but remember to be kind to yourself more than once a year!!

However you spend your day, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty!

If a hotel stay is out of the question then at least try and recreate the best bits of it - the peace, relaxing and feeling like a proper treat!

Thank you all 😊
I have decided I'm going to take a bus into a nearby bigger town, go shopping for loads of random girly sparkly crap I don't really need 😁 and stop at a cafe for some really indulgent cake. Then I'm going to get back home, have a nice spa session and dye my hair- rose gold. I feel like a change! Then special dinner (mexican) with DH and DC. And afterwards I'm going to disappear in the bath again with a big glass of Baileys and a film.
DH has the day off on Friday and he is taking me to a lakeside shopping centre for some clothes shopping and lunch and a walk around the nature reserve. It's in another county and I can't wait to get away, it's exactly what I need! I'm going to get a treat box from Patisserie Valerie with coffee eclairs and scoff them by the lake. It sounds a bit naff probably but I'm looking forward to it. I'll deal with the rest of the family next week- but this year I'm so glad I am keeping the day to just please myself.

Thanks again for all your posts 😘😘

Hope you really really enjoy yourself x

Have a lovely day op.
Please do this more often if you can. It’s good to look after yourself 🍰🎂🍾

Thank you so much ladies. Having just these little things planned just for myself have really lifted my spirits, I didn't realise until now how much the events of the last two years had dragged me down. I will try to do more things like this from now on, though money is normally tight so I need to be creative 😁. Have a lovely day everybody xx