Yesterday, I celebrated my 43rd birthday. Forty three. Wow. Typing that number makes me feel really....old. Not only old, but it makes being 43 all the more real. Luckily, I have the spirit of a 21-year old, so this is a good thing. I keep telling myself, "you're not getting older, you're getting better." Not sure if I believe that, but nothing wrong with lying to yourself once in a while, right? I do feel youthful, except for when my knees crack as I'm bending down to pick things up off the floor. There's no need to discuss that though.
I didn't do anything special for my birthday. I did make sure to take a personal day from work. I've decided from here on out that I will never work on my birthday again. Your birthday is like a holiday, and everyone should treat it as such. I received phone calls and texts from friends and family, and mostly every one of them demanded that I get out and treat myself to something nice, take myself out to eat, etc. I went to pick up a carryout order later that evening, but to be truthful, I didn't do anything else outside of my ordinary routine. I binge-watched Golden Girls, blasted my music, danced around my apartment, drank wine, and soaked up all the birthday love. Simple things bring me contentment, and I'm okay with that, even on a day as significant as my birthday. I did exactly what I was meant to do in that moment. Plus, there isn't much happening in the middle of a weekday when the one friend I have here in Columbus was working, and the rest of my circle of friends live 200 miles away.
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it’s all that matters.”
— Audrey Hepburn
I have a lot to be thankful for. I need to keep reminding myself of this. By nature, I am an over-thinker and a worry wart and I obsess so much over my future, things I can't control, and it can be a never-ending cycle of frustration. I need to make a conscious effort to continue counting my blessings. I'm nowhere near where I want to be in this life, even at 43 (I'm in a constant state of evolution), but what's the point in stressing about it? What's the sense in constantly complaining about it? Won't do any good anyway. Half the time, the people you're complaining to couldn't care less, which is why I've embraced talking out loud to myself (or to God, if he's listening). I have the best talks with myself in the car, or at home. I promise I'm not crazy. It helps. Try it!
I also spent a big chunk of my birthday morning chatting with Squarespace's support team in an effort to get my website up and functioning. If you can't already tell, things are looking a bit different around here now. I transferred my blog over to their platform! I am still getting adjusted to things on this side of town, but so far, I'm really loving it. It was time for something new, you know? I love their aesthetic and how customizable their templates are, and after getting familiar with the platform during my 14-day trial, I decided that I was ready to take the plunge. I feel more inspired than ever to create new content for the blog, and find more inspiration around the web.
Take off your shoes, get comfortable, and show yourselves around the new digs. We live here now.
