Things I Like About Myself: The Birthday Week Edition

In the spirit of men being morons and my determination to have an upbeat birthday, I’m writing what I like about myself

Birthday season is always a reflective time for me and this newsletter has seen five birthdays. Looking back and last year, I was SAD. I didn’t feel like writing and was still struggling with the grief of my break-up. This year, I’m facing 36 with a lot more optimism and embracing the birthday celebrations. 

I’m having multi-day events and ludicrously large balloons because I’m thinking, ‘What would 80-year-old Tiff want for me?’ As a chapter title in my book says, ‘To Celebrate Birthdays Is To Celebrate Life!’

My self-esteem has taken a beating over the past year and this week it’s taken a series of hits, too. I’ve been messed around by flakey men and I’m confused. I’m fun company and ask great date questions like: ‘How would you fare in prison?’ I pay my way, flirt, make them laugh and wear good lip gloss. And yet, my WhatsApp and diary have been awash with uncertainty and ambivalence the last few days. My single friends are reporting similar frustrations. I’m sad dating culture has turned so sour. I just want to have fun! 

So in the spirit of men being morons and my determination to have an upbeat birthday, I’m writing what I like about myself. I’ve found this exercise cringe. I worry it will come across as arrogant or unrelatable or that people who know me will be like: ‘Um, that’s not you.’ So I’m putting this behind a paywall. 

A subscription gets you full access to the archive and my recent paywalled posts about trying the dating app Feeld and my struggles with single life. Go on, it’s my birthday ;)

If you’re new here and it’s too soon for us to go steady, welcome! You can read last week’s newsletter on a series of unexpected encounters from exes to lip gloss for free, here.  Already subscribed? I love you and let’s go:

What I Like About Myself: At 36

Last weekend I was up at 8am baking a vegan lemon cake and the weekend before I was at a rave talking to high girls