38 Birthday Gifts
I turned 38 this week and since we are on lock down, I couldn’t treat myself to a massage or a delicious meal out with friends and family.
I did something, that might trigger some of you or make you think,
“She is so full of herself”
“Who does she think she is?”
I sat down and wrote 38 things I honor and celebrate about myself. Once upon a time this would have been a gargantuan task. Because to come up with 38 things that I truly liked and loved about myself, would have been like pulling teeth. I would have been scraping the bottom of the barrel and felt awkward with any acts of self-love.
But I have realized that I have to be the first to love myself, before I expect anyone else to love me.
Only by receiving my own love deeply, can I receive someone else’s love for me deeply.
You are welcome to read my list, to inspire your own act of self love. Or you can skip my list and go straight to yours.
But one thing I want to highlight, is that I specifically looked for things within me, not what I do for others. There is nothing wrong with that, but for me I have spent far too many years, identifying my worthiness through my roles in life (mom, wife, daughter, employee etc.)
My intuition is strong and I act on the nudges I receive
I love my dewy, brown skin which used to cause me so much insecurity and heartache
I love my smile which reflects my light and love inside of my heart
I love that I change people’s lives because I am brave enough to share my stories
I am an amazing listener which makes others feel safe to open up and be themselves
I help others see the best in themselves and unearth their power within
I am great mother, not because of what I do, but because I see the way my children act and take care of me
I am amazing at pulling together incredible ensembles
I am gullible which means I always choose to believe others at their word
I am always open to new ideas and curious to learn
I wear my heart on my sleeve which means what you see is what you get
I love roller coasters. The scarier the ride the more I want to go on it.
I am impulsive, which means I act on pretty crazy ideas without over analyzing.
I am always willing to get back on the “horse” no matter how many times I fall off, as long as my heart feels aligned to it
I love how I write. I know I have mad writing skills because it makes people feel something when they read it
I am an amazing dancer
I can fall asleep anywhere. It’s a really useful skill on long car rides and plane journeys.
I love my hair. We didn’t always like each other, but I respect and admire it today.
I am funny and silly
I have never had a filling, ever, in my life. My dental hygiene is on point!
I can eat like a horse thanks to my incredible metabolism.
I love my body shape which has taken me a long time to love
I love how strong my physical body is, despite living with an auto immune disease for 15 years.
I love that I am a hugger.
I am a night owl, which means I get the whole house to myself after everyone is in bed
I love how smart I am.
I love that I am a problem solver and I can figure out my way out of a tight situation and come out the other end
I am a voracious reader, which has allowed me to expand my thinking and mindset
I have an extraordinary ability to pack a suitcase extremely efficiently.
I love that I love food and every cuisine in the world.
My inability to get stressed. I fully believe that the Universe always has my back even when things aren’t going my way
I love my connection to nature and especially trees. Being close to old trees make me cry because they make me feel things deeply
My disciplined meditation practice which is beyond powerful
I have found my purpose work and I had the courage to make many mistakes along the way to get here.
I love that I can walk up to women that I want to be friends with and tell them that I want to be friends with them
I love that I learn new skills. I am currently learning to learn the piano and paint
I love that I live my life to please myself first and not others
I love that I invest in myself over and over because I am the safest bet in town.
Now it’s your turn.
You don’t need to wait till it’s your birthday to do this and it’s not about the number either.
It’s about the act of reflecting and shining a light on the things that make you feel good about yourself. It’s perfectly OK to choose to love a part of yourself, even though you may have been told in the past, that you shouldn’t (like my gullibility or sensitivity).
I would love for you to share ONE thing that you love about yourself with me below in the comments.