Today is my birthday. Usually, this is the part where I write a long, deep, reflective post about everything I learned this past year—life lessons, growth, all that jazz. But honestly? I decided to take the pressure off myself and just…write. No grand thesis, no “top 10 lessons from 45 years (ahem, I mean 38) on Earth.” Just me, showing up with my coffee and my keyboard.
This morning started with a good workout alongside my Burn Boot Camp rooster crew, then some time with my kiddo (and my husband—also known as the provider of that much-needed coffee!). After school drop-off, I found myself with a few hours to myself. What to do with that time? Simple: the things that make me happy and bring me peace. Reading, sitting in silence, maybe even a little cleaning (always paired with a podcast or my favorite tunes—because yes, a clean house sparks joy). Later, I’ll sneak in some tap dancing during nap time. Tonight, it’s back to Burn Boot Camp for my usual Thursday shift. And before you think, “Wait, you’re working on your birthday?”—let me just say, I love training. Plus, there’s something extra fun about getting birthday wishes shouted at you between burpees.
The fancy dinner with my husband? That’s happening another night. Family celebration? This weekend. Basically, I’m not cramming my birthday into 24 hours when I can stretch it into a week. Why settle for cake once when you can have a cake tour?
But here’s what I’ve learned—and not just this year: birthdays are a great excuse to pause and ask, what makes me feel most like myself? And the real trick? Doing that not just on your birthday, but every single day. Sometimes it’s big, like dinner out. Sometimes it’s small, like 10 minutes of quiet with coffee before the house wakes up. Sometimes it’s shuffling through a tap routine and pretending I’m on Broadway instead of in my living room.
So today, I’m doing what makes me happy. And tomorrow, I’ll try to do the same.
“Happiness isn’t just for birthdays—make space for what lights you up every day.”