You guys!! You are so amazing. Thank you for being so supportive and awesome in regards to my last blog post. I hope you have wonderful people in your life that are supporting you. Remember I’m only a comment or email away. Feel free to reach out and let me know how you’re going. It’s important to me that I can help and care for you.
Now moving on to a very important topic. My birthday. Haha I mean I did just celebrate it on Feb 1st, but I’m talking about all birthdays. I am a birthday believer. Anyone who really knows me will know that I love birthdays. I mean obvs cake is a massive win but I love the opportunity of what birthdays hold for each and every one of us.
As we all go about our ‘busy’ lives and give of ourselves to projects, commitments and other people I think we too quickly can forget to take a step back and recognise our purpose while here on earth. Whatever it is that you believe we are here for I think there is a common thought that this life is important and we should make the most of the time we have. THIS! This is why I love birthdays. To me, it’s not just another day to count how old you are….to me, it’s a day to recognise and appreciate.
When I think of a birthday I think of the unique and beautiful opportunity to look at the birthday person and think what would I want this person to know? What do I want them to know how I feel about them? What would I want them to know I am proud of them for? What would I want them to know I think about them?
Now don’t get me wrong it is too much to fully appreciate and share every thought and detail with each person. I could never give the people in my life enough gifts, love or well wishes to convey my love and appreciation for them. But I can in a genuine way show them that I care about them. I want to use their special day to go to that extra bit of effort to let them know that I am grateful they are alive. I am grateful they are here on earth and I am grateful that they get to be however big or small a part of my life.
So, I encourage you when you see a birthday notification pop up on Facebook or an alternative notification, take an extra moment to ponder what you could say that’s genuine and personal. It could be as simple as my dad who says to EVERYONE (even his wife). “Have an awesome day”. He has been saying it so long now that people come to know that by him saying that he is showing you that he loves and cares about you and truly wishes that your day is awesome. For others, it might be recognising something you love that they do or sharing appreciation for something they have done for you. However, you choose to spread the love know that to the receiver it’s special and meaningful.
Anyway, guys! 28!! I’m really getting up there, now aren’t I? I remember getting married as a teenager and then a couple of years later turning 21 and having a party. It was the wildest thing to think I was 21. Just the past week I was going through some old goal papers and found my ’25 in 25’ list and now even that is 3 years old! How do I slow it all down? I am loving it and I don’t mind getting older I just don’t want the years to run out too quickly.
I’ve been doing some reflecting, what a surprise I know! I’ve been thinking about what it is that I want to experience and achieve from this year of my life and naturally I thought, why not share it with you all and we can check in over the next year to see how I went?
- I want to give myself more self-compassion and cut myself some slack
- I wish to develop a deeper love of self and learn to value myself more
- I wish to fall pregnant
- I wish to have a child-free night with Nathanael
- I wish to go to the beach 5 times
- I wish to return to the temple now that its reopened
- I wish to learn to cook one awesome and generally tricky recipe
- I wish to listen to at least 10 audiobooks
- I wish to graduate from therapy sessions (1/5 achieved)
- I wish to be classed in recovery this year from my eating disorder
- I wish to attend a gym session like I used to pain-free
- I wish to write 20 blog posts
- I wish to complete a big project at home (not sure what yet but maybe a veggie garden, laundry reno, paint the kitchen etc)
- I wish to do something meaningful in July to remember our baby
- I wish to take myself on a date
- I wish to have a girl’s night
- I wish to have a pie contest activity
- I wish to have a random games activity day
- I wish to have a family photoshoot
- I wish to read my 2021 intentions multiple times a week
- I wish to intentionally visit a new place/area
- I wish to learn to braid my own hair
- I wish to get to a place where I am comfortable enough about being in my own skin that I don’t think about it multiple times a day
- I wish to do something completely random and amazing no matter how big or small
- I wish to visit my grandfather one last time before he forgets who I am
- I wish to mend a broken relationship with someone in my life
- I wish to re-find my joy in motherhood
- I wish to more than anything, feel like myself again. It’s been a while since I have felt the type of peace I’m looking for. It’s been really hard feeling like an imposter but I do feel incredibly confident that with time this year that’s something I can not only ‘wish’ for but look forward to.
There you go, a bit of a mixed bag of wishes. Much like any year of our lives full of desires to feel connected, loved and a sense of honest joy.
I wish that as you each have a birthday this year and early next year that you may feel loved, valued and appreciated by those in your life. I hope no matter who celebrates with you that you may have a love for yourself and an appreciation for the year that you’ve had and the time you’ll get moving forward.
Life will always be full of tragedy and disappointment. Sad and terrible things will happen to the most loving and kind of people. Our hearts will be stretched, broken and mended. Amongst all of that, I hope that you can find your purpose for being here and choose those brave steps to live authentically and happily.
This is the year to be brave and have the courage to do things you’ve always wanted. Whenever I speak to mum and she’s decluttering and trying to decide on what to keep and what to move on from I say to her…. “If you die, I’m probably going to throw it out anyway”. Just a reminder for her, me and all of us to live in the moment. Everything around us is just stuff. Spend your time with people, nature, animals and passions. You are the ONLY one who can decide what success looks like to you, so spend some time remembering that and put your attention to it.
Happy Birthday to me and Happy Birthday to you when the time comes.
I love you guys!
Love, Sarah Kay, xx
