Somehow we are already approaching my birthday which feels a bit crazy as I feel like it was Christmas two minutes ago! 2026 is absolutely flying by and to be honest we are now approaching my favourite time of the year. For me my birthday is always a signal that my favourite months are approaching, I much prefer the autumn & winter weather, cosy days and most importantly the football is back! This is the time of year when Liam starts asking me what I would like for my birthday and also when I start wondering what I would like to treat myself to for my birthday as this is just something I have just done since I started earning my own money. So here is what I have suggested to Liam this year and what I am considering picking up for myself...

Meal out with Liam

I am hoping for a nice meal out with Liam for my birthday. We don't tend to get out much just two of us since we got the dog so I would love to just have a few hours enjoying each others company with some nice food. I am hoping this can take place on my birthday day out as there are plenty of places in Leeds where this could take place.

Nice Card Holder

I don't want to be carrying  big bulky wallet around with me all the time as I don't always want to be using a bag all the time or having my pockets full. There are a few different ones I have had my eyes on lately all at different price points but I really do feel like this would be ideal especially when I go to the football as that is when I really want to have as little as possible in my pocket.

Ralph Lauren Cup

This item is a bit random however, a new cup is desperately needed for work as my Stitch one is getting annoying now due to it's shape and size. I have had my eye on this Ralph Lauren one for a while now so may be it is finally time to bite the bullet and pick this up for myself. It will just add a bit of luxury onto my desk too.

Left Handed Golf Driver

If I am getting back into heading to the driving range I would love a new club to add to my 1 left handed one I already own. The club I already have is a hybrid and don't get me wrong it is good I would just like a driver in the rotation. I am doing so much better with the left handed club so as occassions crop up, if I do really get into golfing it might be a case of building a bag perfect for me.

M&S Fragrance

It really isn't a birthday here without a fragrance and I have started with the hints for my favourite M&S fragrance, sea salt & neroli. I am making my current bottle last and would love to add a new bottle in for my birthday. This fragrance is so good for its price and I feel like it is one I am going to have in my rotation for as long as they sell it.

Zara Fragrance

It has been a while since I have had my favourite Zara fragrance in my rotation so I think when I go on my birthday shopping trip I will be picking up a bottle of this. I will be honest this is by far my favourite budget fragrance for autumn and winter so I might need a few bottles to keep me stocked up for the months ahead. Again this one is a budget fragrance which works as a great gift.

Ralph Lauren Cap

My grey Ralph Lauren cap has served me well for around 7 years now if not more so I think it is time to add another one into my rotation. I would love a black one that would work with outfits all year round as a cap is a good accessory in all seasons. This is a bit of an expensive item however, I know that I am going to get my wear out of it and I know it is going to last.

Hat for Autumn & Winter

I love a good hat and if I am spending most of my autumn & winter at the football I am going to need options to go with all outfit choices. A lot of my hats at the moment are random colours which don't go with much or are losing shape due to being cheap and low quality. A couple of good quality hats would be very welcome to help me combat the cold without ruining my outfits overall look.

Jacket

Again I am thinking practically when it comes to gifts and I would love a new jacket for those cold football games. I am currently in the process of getting rid of a lot of my jackets as they are either too big or just don't fit the style I am going for so I need to add some new ones in to fill the gaps I have identified. I would love a thinner material one that I can use for layering or a thicker one for when the cold games really do start to hit. All I know is I need something to actually keep me dry... something previous jackets have failed to do.

Top from Bound

I think it is safe to say I have fallen in love with the brand Bound. I am finding myself on their website a bit too often now however, so many pieces are jumping out to me. For my birthday my plan is to treat myself to one of the tops on their website. I am thinking something that I can wear day to day in the office or for days out. Something easy to dress up or down that isn't going to break the bank. It might take me a while to settle on which top to get but one is definitely going to be purchased.

M&S Gift Card

I am well and truly in my M&S era as some of the clothing they are bringing out at the moment is brilliant. I have asked Liam if I can have a gift card for here as I have had a few pieces on my radar for a while now and with our shopping trip I feel like I might be able to find them as we head to a bigger M&S store. This will stop me from ignoring the shop and buying items elsewhere as the money is on a card where I can only spend it in that specific store. This could see the wardrobe get a major upgrade.

 Nike P-6000's

My birthday is going to be the time where I finally bite the bullet and get the Nike P-6000's which I have wanted for so long now. I just haven't wanted to justify the cost of these however, I just can't stop thinking about adding a pair into my rotation so now is the time. These will definitely be a nice treat for myself and one that I will get my wear out of.

When actually typing out this list I have realised just how much things have changed, I am actually considering the use of items rather than just suggesting things for the sake of it or to follow trends. I am quite impressed with this as I am just so used to picking any random thing, I guess this is a bit of a sign of the growth I have been working towards. Let's see what I end up getting in my what I got for my birthday post after the big day... 

See you soon,

Lucy

Yesterday I posted all about the goals I was hoping to hit for the remainder of 2026 which got me thinking... I am going to be working super hard to achieve these goals in the next few months so why don't I add in an extra incentive... a reward when I tick off a goal. I think by setting a reward as something I have wanted for a long time it will help keep me focussed on the task at hand and push me to work extra hard. The plan is to make the rewards something I have wanted and what are going to help me continue on the right path rather than just having any old item thrown in for the sake of it. So here are the rewards I am looking at picking up as goals become completed, strap in as the 25 goals set yesterday each have their own reward...

Zwyt Bike

If I manage to add in more cardio to my weeks like I am planning I am definitely going to have warranted picking up a new bike for the home gym. The Zwyft bike is one I have had on my wish list for so long but it is quite expensive so I definitely need to make sure I am going to get my use out of it.

At Home Sauna

I have an ice bath but I have wanted to upgrade my recovery set up especially if I am working out more often recovery is going to be key. I don't want anything fancy for this I just want one of those little pop up ones that I can jump in after a session to relax and recover. This is one I definitely want to achieve as it is going to be super beneficial.

Spa Day

I am going to be going all in on achieving these goals so it might be nice to have a spa day booked for early 2027. A spa day would be the perfect way to relax after working hard to achieve a goal so I just need to pick which one to achieve to get this day booked in. It has been a while since I have been to a spa so I think it is long overdue.

Sports Massage

The sports massage I had a few years ago massively helped me get rid of any aches and pains so as I turn up the intensity of my workouts I think having a sports massage as a reward could be very worth while. This will definitely be used for hitting a fitness goal as it all ties in together but we shall see if this takes place by the end of the year or not.

Castore Haul

As I lose weight I am going to need to upgrade my workout clothing and I guess this will need upgrading as I declutter my wardrobe too. I am moving away from certain brands that just aren't lasting anymore and am replacing pieces with brands I know are good quality. The reward for a goal is going to be a Castore haul, the items may be on the pricey side of things but so far I have been really impressed with the items I have from them so I will be adding them into the new gym wardrobe first. There are other brands I have in mind but those are going to be 2027 rewards or just general treats (but a whole other post is coming about that soon). 

Fit Bit Air

My Garmin has been destroying my wrist and I am preferring to wear a normal watch so I don't really have a fitness tracker anymore. I was looking at the Whoop but the price has scared me off in all honesty. The Google Fit Bit Air looks just as good but a whole lot cheaper so I think I might use this as a reward, pick one up when I have accomplished something as I feel like I can justify getting it whilst my Garmin gets put on the back burner for a bit.

Meal out with Liam

Liam is really helping me to push to achieve my goals so I am hoping that I can tick off a goal and reward us both with a nice meal out. Granted this may effect the weight goal but one day shouldn't do too much damage and will be a nice way for us just to spend some time together with no distractions as life is going to be crazy as I work towards my goals.

A Piece of Jewellery

I want one of my rewards to be something nice that I can keep for a long period of time. I am thinking a nice piece of jewellery would be a nice little reward something I can look at and be reminded of the hard work I have been putting in. This piece isn't going to necessarily break the bank but I don't want to cheap out on it so I plan to shop around for the perfect piece.

Bound Haul

I think it is safe to say I have fallen love with the store Bound and that is why I am going to reward myself to a haul from them when I tick off a goal. I think I am going to use a fashion related goal for this one as the haul can be used to add some quality pieces into my wardrobe once it has been decluttered. I am not going to go overboard with the haul but I am going to try add some brilliant pieces into my new wardrobe. 

Pair of Loafers

If you read my footwear post recently you will know that I have a fair few pairs of loafers I am wanting to pick up and some are on the pricey side of things. I think a reward for hitting a goal though is going to have to be a pair of loafers that can help me elevate an outfit, maybe a Duke & Dexter pair that I have had my eye on which will help me justify the cost of them too.

Comme Des Garcon Converse

I have wanted these Converse for the longest time but just haven't picked them up for one reason or another. I think to finally make me bite the bullet and pick up a pair I am going to use them as a reward for hitting a goal I have set. These will be great for the new wardrobe build as they will go with so many different outfits I have in mind so will be a brilliant reward for working hard.

Manchester Shopping Trip

If I hit a goal by the end of 2026 my plan is to reward myself with a shopping trip to Manchester where I can work on building my new wardrobe in shops we don't really have around here. I think this could be a nice little content creating trip for the football side of things too as there are some great football related shops in the city. I really should start saving in hopes of achieving this.

Uniqlo Gift Card

Uniqlo has been a store I have wanted to try for a while now so I am planning on rewarding myself with a Uniqlo gift card ready for a Manchester shopping trip which I can use to add the basics into my new wardrobe. I have heard some great things about the products Uniqlo sell so I think it is time I tested them for myself. 

Fancy Notebook

I am a paper and pen kind of girl when it comes to making notes as I feel writing things down helps me visualise better. As I am locking in on content I am going to be making a whole lot more notes and I would love a fancy little notebook to write them in. This doesn't need to break the bank, just a nice little notebook to jot down my ideas that looks great on my desk.

Nice Pen

Someone once told me everyone needs a nice pen for signing documents at work and it has always stuck in my mind. Once I hit a goal from the work section of goals I am 100% going out and getting myself a nice pen to have on my desk ready for those days when big documents start to land. Something that will last and look great on the desk.

Heaven Mayhem Business Card Holder

From first laying my eyes on this business card holder I knew I wanted to pick it up but debated on if it was worth it or not. The plan is to tick off a work related goal and pick this up. This would be brilliant to have in my bag day to day and could even come in handy for football related content but we shall see which I end up using it for.

Brick

I have been doing a lot of research about the Brick device and believe it is something that I could certainly benefit from. I feel like I am the queen of procrastination so this would definitely help me get out of that cycle as I could block apps that distract me and I could begin focusing on what is important. I think this could certainly become one of the first rewards I pick up.

Louis Vuitton Card Holder

Ok as a football fan I feel like I need to own this card holder even at over £300. I think I am going to pick this up for one of the biggest goals I have set myself to really justify the cost and I am hoping that it is still in stock by the time I do hit my goal. I just absolutely love the thought of having this in my card holder rotation so let's see if it is possible to pick up.

Coach Backpack

The Coach backpack has been on my wish list for a while now however, the cost of it has been putting me off. This would be ideal for work and any content trips going forward though as it is a very good looking bag. I am determined to have hit a goal to be able to pick up one of these before the year ends or super early in 2027.

Porsche Mug

This one is a bit of a random reward but it might make sense to others one day. My dream is to own a Porsche one day and I even have a little model car on my desks to remind me of the goal and I just think a nice little Porsche mug to drink out of daily would be a bit of extra motivation to remind me of something I am working towards. This is definitely going to be purchased when I hit a work related goal as it all ties in.

Ralph Lauren Travel Mug

I am locking in on the football content which is going to mean a lot of time out in the cold watching games so I need to make sure I am prepared. One of my rewards for hitting a nice and simple goal I have set for myself is going to be purchasing a Ralph Lauren travel mug. This would be ideal for taking to games with me and even work. Put in a coffee or hot chocolate and head out of the door knowing I have a hot drink ready to warm me up when needed, this is just what I need.

Hand Warmer

My old USB hand warmer has just about had it and as I am going to be out in the cold a lot I am going to need to make some thing to keep warm whilst reporting on games. I know I can get one for a good price on Amazon I just need to make sure I am going to get to the games to warrant the buying of it. A small game related goal being ticked off will mean this is purchased.

New Camera

This is going to be a reward for hitting a content related goal. If I can lock in on creating content and achieve a content related goal I guess I will have shown myself that a camera is going to be worth it as it will help me take my content to the next level even after putting the hard work in from now until a goal is hit. This is going to be an expensive reward but is going to help in so many ways for content and for football bits.

New PC

My current PC runs like a potato and it is a key place for where I work on content so the fact it is so slow is a nightmare. I need something that can handle demand and which I can run my game library on so the plan is to hit another content related goal and finally reward myself with that PC upgrade I have been after. I am hoping I have plenty of time to save up for this one as it is going to be costly.

Tag Carrera Watch

Finally we have the big reward which I am going to save until last meaning I have to have achieved 24 more goals before finally getting this one. This is definitely going to be the most expensive reward of the list however, it is the perfect way for me to remember all the hard work I have put in to achieve everything I set out for the remainder of 2026. Who knows if this is going to be possible or not but you best believe I am going to work my hardest to get as close to this as possible before 2027 begins.

There you have it I have set myself 25 good sized goals to achieve before the end of 2026 and those are the 25 rewards I am going to be picking off if I manage to tick the goals off. I am really looking forward to pushing myself to see just how many I can complete beginning on the 10th of August 2026 running up until the 31st of December. Let's lock in and get this done.

See you soon

Lucy