Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me! Today, I turned 53. Yesterday, I felt anxious and nervous about my birthday. On one hand, I don’t like the attention; on the other hand, I look forward to it. A part of me feels sad because I’m getting older, and thoughts of declining health have been rattling around in my mind—like my upcoming cataract surgery.

I decided to look back through my blog posts and read what I wrote last year. I found a post where I made a list of 52 things I was thankful for and announced that I was starting a new birthday tradition. It’s a good thing I went back and read it because I had completely forgotten about it!

So, I made myself some coffee, and with my dog curled up at my feet, I wrote out 53 things I am thankful for. As I went through each number, I reflected on that year and tried to remember what I appreciated at the time. The memories came flooding back—both positive and negative. The positive ones reminded me of all the blessings I’ve received, while the negative ones showed me that I am resilient. Those challenges didn’t crush me.

This year, you will celebrate a birthday—or maybe you already have. Either way, I encourage you to take some time to try this exercise. Write down your age, and then create a list of all the things you are thankful for.

Prompt for the Exercise:

To reflect on your life and appreciate the blessings you’ve experienced, try this exercise:

1. Write down your current age.

2. Create a list of things you are thankful for, with each number corresponding to a year of your life. For example, if you’re turning 40, write down 40 things.

3. As you write, take a moment to reflect on each year and what brought you joy, strength, or growth.

4. Look at the list and notice the balance of positive memories and how challenges have shaped your resilience.

How did the exercise make you feel? Did you discover anything new about yourself?