90 Birthday Freebies That Feel Like Such A Treat On Your Special Day

I Intentionally Dubbed 2024 My Personal Victory Year

I, like so many others, woke up on January 1st and decided it would be my year. I set intentional resolutions, goals, and even made sure to be specific about them. Similar to how I write in-depth articles, I broke them into the following sections:

• Motherhood
• Relationships
• Career
• Wellbeing
• Spiritual

It's the first year I decided to listen to my heart's desires in order to capture a screenshot of the life I want to live. I even prayed over my resolutions and goals, asking to be guided as I accomplished things or were led to them. As February rolled around, I didn't really think twice about the impact of what I'd done because life started to fall into a familiar hum that becomes mundane after a while.

I guess I needed to be reminded of the intentional goals I'd written down because things got painfully interesting after this.

My First Adult Car Was Totaled

Car accidents are never fun as I've been on the receiving end of one before, but this wasn't like before. This time I was emotionally hurt to learn the first car I'd assumed total responsibility for was no longer going to be mine. Though I knew I was lucky no one was seriously harmed, all I could think about is the morning I paid it off. I had every reason to spend the nice bonus I received from my last job, but I decided paying off my car mattered more in that moment.

This is the car that took me from my parents' home to living on my own, trips out of town, and days spent buckling a newborn into his carseat. For 8 years, this car and I were locked in like besties. It truly felt like we'd grown up together so to have it ripped away so suddenly was heartbreaking.

Even though the SUV I got was aligned with everything my fiancé and I were talking about, I couldn't appreciate it for a while because I all could see what was what I had.

I Took A Chance On A Full-Time Creative Career

Once I started making peace with having a new vehicle, I started feeling the urge to leave my first adult job behind. I'd spent 10 years there, but it was becoming obvious that it was time to leave the nest. Similar to my first car, my co-workers watched me go from a wide-eyed college student to a confident adult. Though I learned so much there, I knew it wasn't where I wanted to be forever.

Deciding to leave what felt familiar was one of the scariest things I'd ever done and I spent days wondering if I'd made the right choice. It's not that writing wasn't lucrative, but I had to learn how to navigate a remote job that's been unlike any role I've had before. My imposter syndrome was in overdrive because I was waiting for the shoe to drop off my other foot.

Thoughts like "What if I'm not good enough" or "What if my co-workers hate me," plagued my mind because I couldn't believe I'd taken a chance on myself that seemed like it was working in my favor. That only happens in movies, right? In this case, wrong.

The same month I truly decided to focus on my writing career is when I interviewed Whoopi Goldberg. Since then, I've gone on to talk to different authors and even moderated my first book event in Atlanta. But, it still took a while for me to truly be grateful for the amazing things that's happened this year.

The Day I Turned 33 Put Everything Into Perspective

PMS plagued me for the better part of last week, so I decided to listen to my body and not do anything for my birthday. I kept waiting for myself to feel disappointed for not getting dressed up, but the feeling never came. The sad part is I almost wanted it to because who doesn't want to celebrate their birthday?

It turns out that I did celebrate, even if it wasn't in the typical 'party and dinner' way.

Deciding to focus on feeling peaceful in my new space, I opened my journal and started writing 33 things I'm grateful for. I didn't think I could find that many things, but it got easier to start being appreciative of life instead of focusing on everything I'd even thought went wrong.

In between bites of pizza and cheesy bread, I dropped all expectations and started writing. The more I wrote, the happier I felt which makes me wonder why I didn't do this before. So, without further ado, here is everything I realized during my gratitude practice this year!

The Things I'm Most Grateful For Right Now: 

"I'm grateful for quiet moments where I can hit the reset button when I need to."

"I’m grateful for moments I’ve accepted accountability for my actions."

"I’m grateful for having a supportive family and fiancé."

"I'm grateful for forgiveness and chances to start over."

"I’m grateful for the beauty and joy of reading."

• I'm grateful for home-cooked meals.
• I'm grateful for praying grandmothers.
• I'm grateful for older siblings I get along with.
• I'm grateful for reminders I'm not alone.
• I'm grateful for the gift of writing.
• I'm grateful for time spent in nature.
• I'm grateful for having friends in my life who feel like family.
• I'm grateful for my mom introducing me to therapy before my 20s.
• I'm grateful for every day I wake up with air in my lungs.
• I'm grateful for moments that cause me to slow down and think before acting.
• I'm grateful for multiple seasons of growth.
• I'm grateful for my first full-time writing job.
• I'm grateful I work with one of the best teams ever.
• I'm grateful for having access to food, shelter, and a transportation.
• I'm grateful for having an active imagination.
• I'm grateful for being able to watch my son grow.
• I'm grateful for learning about the ins and outs of postpartum so I can help other new moms!
• I'm grateful for having a new place to live that's cozy.
• I'm grateful for watching the seasons change.
• I'm grateful I get to learn what it means to have a healthy romantic relationship.
• I'm grateful for boundaries.
• I'm grateful for understanding my parents betters.
• I'm grateful I'm still in tune with my inner kid.
• I'm grateful for book clubs.
• I'm grateful for the amazing authors I've come across.
• I'm grateful for funny memes on social media.
• I'm grateful for hot chocolate — yes, I'm serious.
• I'm grateful for LIFE itself.

What is Prime Big Deal Days?

Prime Big Deal Days is similar to Amazon’s Prime Day event, but it occurs on separate dates. The 48-hour shopping event is exclusive to Prime members, offering savings and low prices across 35 product categories. Fashion, beauty, and holiday goodies are just a few of the categories we’re always excited to shop!

Amazon noted a few big brands will be part of the upcoming event: Barbie, Squishmallows, Play-Doh, Disney, Clinique, Too Faced, Florence by Mills, Cider, Aéropostale, NEST New York, Lenox, Lodge, Coach, KitchenAid, JBL, and LEGO.

When is Prime Big Deal Days 2024?

According to Amazon, Prime Big Deal Days will happen on October 8-9, 2024. The event ran from October 10-11 in 2023, and it was hosted on October 11-12 the previous year.

What are the best things to buy during Prime Big Deal Days?

Holiday gifts, fall and holiday decor (like Christmas trees), big-ticket items (like air purifiers, Amazon devices, Apple electronics, and electric toothbrushes), and everyday essentials (like batteries, paper towels, toilet paper, and beauty goods) are all great things to buy during Prime Big Deal Days.

The deals event will reportedly include "40% off winter fashion must-haves like sweaters and puffers from Amazon Essentials, deals on Halloween costumes and accessories for the family starting at $5, and exciting savings on electronics from top brands like Beats, Samsung, and Fujifilm."

Scroll on for our Amazon faves that have been on deal before!

Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock

Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

Apple Watch Series 9

Blueair Large Room Air Purifier

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

Yeti Hopper M Series Portable Soft Cooler

How can I shop Prime Big Deal Days?

You can shop Prime Big Deal Daysonline at Amazon.com to find deep discounts on thousands of products.

Per Amazon, the 2024 event will take place in 19 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Turkey, and the United States.

Do I need a Prime membership to shop Prime Big Deal Days?

Yes, you must be a Prime member to take advantage of the deals part of Prime Big Deal Days.

A Prime membership offers exclusive discounts year-round, plus super fast shipping times. A regular Prime membership costs $14.99 per month, or $139 per year if you pay annually.

You can also sign up for a free trial, or get a discounted membership if you’re a student between 18-24 years old.

Apple Watch Deals

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Track your health, text, call, listen to music, and more with this stunning Apple Watch, which is currently 32% off.

Apple Watch Series 10

This expert Apple Watch is too sleek to take our eyes off of it. Save 16% now!

Renewed Apple Watch Series 5

This Apple Watch will only run you $132. It's not as fancy as the newer Apple Watches, but it's still capable of tracking your workouts and navigating with GPS.

iPad Deals

Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation)

The iPad Mini is so cute. It's ideal for note-taking college students, digital artists, and grandparents that love doing the crossword. Take a whopping 30% off for Black Friday!

Apple iPad (9th Generation)

This version of the iPad is only $278, and you can shop two different colors as well as two different storage options, like 64GB and 256GB.

Apple iPad (10th Generation)

This "colorfully reimagined" generation of the iPad would make a perfect gift. Take 20% off right now.

AirPods Deals

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The biggest pro on the AirPods Pro is their noise-cancellation feature. It comes in super handy for locked-in work days or long flights. This model is currently 38% off!

Renewed Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)

Now 36% off, these 3rd gen AirPods are perfect if you work, travel, or exercise frequently. They'll quickly become your in-ear BFF, delivering all your favorite tunes, podcasts, and calls in high-quality spatial audio.

Apple AirPods Max

The AirPods Max come in so many colors, it's hard to pick one! Hopefully the 27% off deal on the famed headphones can help you land on a decision. These would make an especially great holiday gift!

MacBook Deals

2022 Apple MacBook Air

Not only can you save 25% on this MacBook model, your AppleCare+ protection plan is also discounted by 22%!

2024 Apple MacBook Air

This 2024 MacBook Air sets the standard for laptops with a powerful computing system, an impeccable liquid retina display, and unbeatable data privacy protections. Save 23% right now!

iMac Deals

Renewed 2019 Apple iMac

This iMac model from 2019 is a whopping 60% off. It's renewed, but still in tip-top shape!

2023 Apple iMac

The most aesthetically-pleasing iMac (we just adore pink!) is 23% off right now. It comes equipped with a matching mouse and wireless keyboard so you can get right to work.