Archives 'Gratitude'

13 May

lemonade

17 April

Usually, when people ask me the inevitable birthday question, “So, do you feel different?” I  40have to admit that, “No, I really don’t.” But this year is a big exception. Today is my 40th birthday. I have to say I’m excited to be 40. I feel strong, healthy, optimistic, and happy.

Looking back over the landscape of my 30s, I can see now how transitional those years were. Extremely transitional. I quit smoking, got married, lost weight, and started studying myself. A lot of my 30s became about forgiving myself for things I did in my 20s!  These are all good things, but of course, none of them are easy changes to make. They all take an extraordinary amount of love and commitment, and they take loads of support from the people around me.

I think I’m so happy to be turning 40 because it puts an end to those transitional 30s. I know I’m not done with transitions. Far from it. But that particular set of transitions is done. I can wrap it up in a shoebox and place it on the top shelf of my closet. Still close enough to be part of me, but not something I have to carry around with me every day.

I’m ready to get on with things, to use what I learned in my 30s to build and create the life of my dreams in my 40s. This is a life that will be full of dancing, laughter, family, friends, and freedom. The kind of freedom that only comes from forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and finding yourself in a compassionate, gracious place.
 
So I invite you to do something for me today in honor of my 40th birthday. Pick as many as you want and do them with joy! 
  • Dance 40 steps.
  • Spend 40 minutes on the phone with a friend that lives far away or with a relative you haven’t seen in a while.
  • Take 40 minutes to be silent and rest.
  • Scratch your dog 40 times on the head (or under the chin).
  • Read 40 pages of a book.
  • Sing 40 bars of your favorite song.  And I mean really bust out with it!
  • Laugh, uncontrollably, for 40 seconds (or more!).
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