How to enjoy your birthday as you get older
December 22, 2017
I remember being a kid and wanting to be older. Birthdays were exciting because it meant I was another year closer to becoming a teenager. Once I was in my teens, I couldn't wait to be an adult. The longing to be 18 and then 20 and 21, but somewhere along the way it all changed. The idea of getting older became scary and instead of the excitement I once had, it turned into a comparison game of life with everyone else.
I'm not the only one who does it, in fact some of you do it too. Comparing your life with the accomplishments of others and feeling disappointed because you thought you would have accomplished those things already. Don't get me wrong I have always had great days celebrating my birthday, but there was always an hour or so during the day where it wasn't so great. Being in that state is not fun and it does not feel good. So last year I made a decision that I did not want to feel anything but joy on my day of birth.
I'm not the only one who does it, in fact some of you do it too. Comparing your life with the accomplishments of others and feeling disappointed because you thought you would have accomplished those things already. Don't get me wrong I have always had great days celebrating my birthday, but there was always an hour or so during the day where it wasn't so great. Being in that state is not fun and it does not feel good. So last year I made a decision that I did not want to feel anything but joy on my day of birth.
I was gifted a mug last year with some positive affirmations on it that came in a tin container. I decided that for the next 364 days after my birthday I would make a note of all of the blessings that happened to me and I would place them in the tin and read them all on my next birthday. So this birthday I did just that. I went to a coffee shop, opened the tin and began to read every piece of paper that was in there.
It is amazing how many things I had forgotten about. The mind seems to remember all the "crap" so easily but when it comes to the good... it takes a back seat. The feeling that I got reading all of this was incredible. You don't realize the many things you've experienced over the course of the year, until you look back. The amount of gratitude that overcame my spirit was, and is something that I want everyone to experience. It left me in a state that lasted the entire day and the following morning I was already anticipating adding to my now empty tin all the blessing for this up coming year. It was actually the same excitement I had as a kid wanting to be older. This time it wasn't so that I could become an adult or reach that next stage of life.
This time it was about wanting to experience the joy you get when you learn to reflect on the positive and have complete gratitude.
So how do you enjoy your birthday as you get older?
I believe birthdays should be used to remember all the things I have to be grateful for. That is how I choose to enjoy it. When you have an attitude of gratitude there is no room for sadness, pity, envy, jealousy... Just thankfulness and joy...
Now that's another lesson on living prosperously.
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