Gifts on my 27th Birthday

I turned 27 years old yesterday (25th October). Marking 27 years of my existence, following are 27 different ways I would like to be gifted. 27 actions you may take for and by yourself, which I shall consider as gifts to myself.

1 — Do an analysis of your needs and wants

2 — Have a look at your wardrobe and see if there are a few things you could gift someone

3 — Try not buying new garments for a year

4 — Learn a hands-on skill. Or two. Or three. Or even more.

5 — Do a research on how waste is managed in your locality/municipality/corporation/panchayat

6 — When you plan to gift someone, see if you can give them something that you already have, instead of buying new

7 — Join a citizen engagement group

8 — Buy local. Support local businesses, initiatives and enterprises

9 — Take all measures in your capacity to annihilate caste and smash patriarchy

10 — Educate yourself about the objective of reservation being representation, and not poverty alleviation

11 — Educate yourself about LGBTQIA+ communities

12 — Educate yourself about various indigenous rights movements

13 — Educate yourself about Climate Emergency

14 — Whenever you host an event, try to organise it zero waste

15 — Watch the movie ‘Waking Life’

16 — Watch ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ animated series

17 — Try your hands on upcycling something lying redundant at your home

18 — Grow vegetables and observe what it feels like for you

19 — Plant fruit bearing trees wherever and whenever possible

20 — Write long letters/messages to your loved ones

21 — Keep yourself open to lifelong learning

22 — Keep yourself open to the fact that you can learn from anyone, irrespective of their age or gender or any social construct attached

23 — Learn the local history and facts associated with the place you live in

24 — Educate yourself about how colonisation exists even today, and therefore the need to decolonise

25 — Support activities, creations and offerings in the Commons

26 — Spend ample time with your own self. Take care of yourself

27 — Spread love :)