what every woman should remember on their birthday
First, let me say happy birthday!
It’s a privilege to live another year, but I know how birthdays can bring dread about getting older and life not shaping up how you envisioned it.
Birthdays are also a sensitive time because you either want to skip over the day, or you want the day to be perfect. It can be a lot of pressure, so I completely understand the negative feelings.
I fall into the latter category where I love birthdays, but I always give myself unnecessary pressure to have the best birthday, best party, all the birthday wishes, etc. It’s unrealistic and sometimes leaves me disappointed.
If your birthday is coming up, remember the day doesn’t have to be perfect, aging is a privilege and you’re only getting hotter and wiser with age.
every birthday does NOT have to be perfect
I’m so guilty of thinking every birthday has to be better than the last. But you’re only putting unnecessary expectations on yourself and potentially ruining the experience because of impossible standards.
Of course, it’s fine to want the best of your day and have high expectations for it, but keep a healthy balance of accepting the good and the bad along the way.
Your birthday isn’t ruined if your cake doesn’t turn out exactly what you ordered, your dress fits a little awkwardly or someone close to you didn’t text you happy birthday.
Those things suck, and you can address them appropriately. But you still have a birthday to enjoy, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you let things like these completely destroy your special day.
You determine how you react to things going wrong, and you decide what you will allow to negatively impact your mood on your big day. Sometimes you have to take things on the chin in the moment to preserve your mood as a whole.
Embrace the imperfections of your birthday. You’re human, and things happen. Don’t let wanting everything to be perfect ruin what could be.
you get hotter and wiser with age
Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Gabrielle Union, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tracee Ellis Ross, Eva Mendes, etc.
There are so many older women who seem to be only getting finer with age that truly inspire me and make me excited to age.
It’s motivating that you’ll see your body go through so many stages and powerful experiences. It’s inspiring that you’ll be a more powerful and stronger woman as you continue to get older.
I feel like I’ve grown so much confidence and knowledge about myself and life through the past five years, so I can only imagine what it will be like in 50.
I love giving the younger girls advice about womanhood and career realities. It feels good to feel a little more established and wiser in life with every year, so I can only think about how Meryl Streep and Diana Ross feel.
you’re the main character of your story
The world really does revolve around you (especially today.)
Treat the day like you’re the main character. One, because you already are. And two, because it’s your excuse to give yourself the world, if you’re not the type to do that on a regular basis.
There are a lot of humble women in the world, but your birthday is a special time where you deserve the absolute best.
Either someone/several people are making you feel the absolute best, or you’re making yourself feel the absolute best.
There’s no shame in either, and having one or the other doesn’t mean you lack love or self love in your life.
But I do want you to do all your favorite things, be extra about living out your best day and treat your birthday like it’s the birthday of someone you really love and care about.
additional content: how to celebrate yourself in everyday moments
start your personal year with a fresh heart
The start of your personal year (your birthday!) is the perfect time to self reflect on areas you want to grow.
It’s a time when you can do an audit of your life: what you’re loving, what you’re hating, the person you want to become over the next 365 days, the relationships you want to keep, etc.
Forgive yourself and others during this time and start the next year of your life with a fresh heart and open mind.
You don’t want to have hate, resentment or bad vibes in your life, and this is a great time to reset those emotions.
You deserve to have a good life, so figure out what it’s going to take to ensure you’re on the right track to keep on living the best life you can.
aging is a privilege
It’s always a privilege to see another year in life. Unfortunately, so many people didn’t get a chance to have a birthday this year.
I know it’s morbid, but it’s true. And it’s a nice reminder for when you’re feeling bad about aging.
Every year you get older, you get to experience it with people who love you.
You get a chance to fall in love, spend holidays with your family, take trips with your friends and make meaningful memories.
You also get to learn more about yourself and deepen your self love. You take risks and make mistakes. But you also can make a difference and impact the world positively.
Yes, each birthday you have means you’re getting older. But that just means you get more chances to explore life and change what you don’t like about it.
spending your birthday alone can be a great time
Celebrating your birthday alone is great because you can plan your own itinerary with all your favorite activities and meals -- without fearing disappointment or pressure from others.
You should get yourself a cake, treat yourself with a gift, take advantage of all the freebies and much more.
When it comes to your birthday, other people shouldn’t determine what you do to celebrate.
Birthday dinners and meals are such a common way to celebrate you, so going out and enjoying yourself at a nice spot is also such a great way to practice self love.
Taking a class, such as pottery, cooking, workout, etc. is a great way to learn something new, while being open to gaining a new skill on your birthday.
Here are a full list of ideas for you here: self love ways to spend your birthday alone
