Today I’m celebrating my 36th birthday! And I’m spending it in one of my favorite places – the Emerald Coast! The Destin, 30A, Rosemary Beach area of Florida is one of my favorite places to visit in the entire US. There’s a sense of nostalgia here as it’s where I’ve vacationed with my family since I was little, the waters are alllmost as clear as the Caribbean, and it’s just easy and relaxed here.
You can find me on the beach this afternoon with a (virgin) piña colada in hand. 🙂
A few thoughts on year 35 …
Before writing this post, I looked back at last year’s birthday post, Thoughts on Turning 35. I enjoyed re-reading it, and still whole heartedly stand by everything I said. Age is just a number. It was interesting to look back on that post and this past year. Last year around this time, Michael and I had recently gotten back from a two-week trip to Portugal and Morocco and had just completed the Houston half-marathon. I’m sure we were gearing up for the holidays and more travel and starting to settle into Houston after moving from DC in March.
Little did I know that so much would change in year 35. I feel like last year’s birthday was a lifetime ago. Our world was rocked in March when the realness of the pandemic set in, and up until this past week, we’ve been hunkered down in our duplex in Houston outside of a few visits to see our families. Year 35 made me extremely thankful for my health, my family, and my friends. I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted meeting friends out for dinner, being able to hop on an airplane at a moments’ notice, or simply not having to think about the impacts of every single decision I’m making when choosing to leave my house. Year 35 taught me to slow down and consider the things that are of real importance to me in my life.
Slowing Down
My 35th year, spent mostly in year 2020, taught me to really consider what’s important to me. My family, my friends, and my career (you guys!). The pandemic, the microscope shown on the Black Lives Matter movement, and the 2020 election, all part of this last year, have taught me to cut out the toxicity, slow down, and remove any aspects from my life that aren’t sparking joy. I’ve stayed in touch and grown closer to my core friends. I’ve spent more time with my family. I’ve unfollowed hundreds of people on Instagram (and added in lovely new friends who bring positivity into my life every single day). Year 35 taught me to weed out the bad and drill down into what really makes me happy. Life is too short to have negativity and toxicity as part of our everyday lives.
With all of the craziness that happened over the last 12 months, there’s one thing that I’m the most thankful for … Michael and I’s bundle of joy! A true bright spot in my 35th year. I feel very blessed to be having a baby boy during my 36th year of life.
Looking Forward to Year 36
I’m going into year 36 with a hopeful outlook on what this year will bring. Hopeful that next week’s election will bring a positive change and looking forward to less chaos and more calmness in my 36th year.
I’m most excited about how my life, along with Michael’s, is sure to change in February when we expand our family! I’m excited for other possible big life changes in the upcoming year, and I’m just generally excited about being in my mid 30s. I find that the older I get, the more comfortable and confident I am in just being me.
While this year has certainly had its challenges, it’s been a good one! Cheers to all the craziness that year 35 held and here’s to an even crazier (but in all the good ways) year ahead!
Thank you for celebrating another trip around the sun with me!
