Happy Birthday to Me! Designing your New Year

Loud and proud…sing along with me…Happy Birthday to me!  Happy Birthday to me!Disclaimer:  I have always loved my birthday – and always loved celebrating it.  In fact, I direct specific attention towards designing how my day will unfold and further, where I want my “new” year to go.When I think of my birthday, I think of daffodils and spring – the onset of a new season.  Your birthday demarcates your new year, not dictated by the calendar year that has everyone running around frenetically post-holidays, falling in line with fad diets and resolutions to get back on board.  In Vietnam, the emphasis for celebrating individual birthdays is placed upon the 1^st birthday.  After that, traditionally everyone celebrates his or her birthday en masse on the lunar new year, a day referred to as “Tet.”  I see birthdays as a celebration of individuality.  Perhaps there is something between “Tet” and parties filled with piñatas and sugar rushes.  Birthdays provide us with the opportunity to reboot and recalibrate; to take stock, to meditate and redesign.  When we take care of ourselves, we take care of each other.  It starts with us (you or me).Think of yourself as the business of YOU.  A business owner analyzes the balance sheet at the end of their fiscal year.  The bottom line never lies.  What areas of your growth need to be celebrated and continued and which, maybe not so much?It’s less about the presents, the number of years and the cake and more about your “presence” in celebrating self and carving out the time to design the 365 days ahead.  (And how about that beautiful cake above that my friend Dion made for me a few years back?)What does your emotional and spiritual inventory look like?  Are you operating in Best Self mode?  Are you living authentically?  What makes you tick, what floods your insides with an energetic rush?  Or, are you set on autopilot, merely lulling along?  This is your life (and your birthday), you get to decide.And of course I know there are plenty of you out there who hide from your birthdays, don’t like all the fanfare and attention, complain and feign disdain if anyone makes a fuss over you.  The focus isn’t on all of the hullabaloo, but rather about re-setting your intentions.  Create some of your own personal traditions.  You can sit quietly in a room by yourself if you choose, or you can throw confetti around in celebration of you…just remember to put forth clear goals for yourself.This is your opportunity to take stock of your life.  Take a pulse on the various areas:  Self-care (tending to the whole package - body, mind and soul?), Career (feeling passionate or feeling stuck?), Finances (drowning in debt or hoarding for Armageddon?), and Relationships (getting along with your partner, friends and/or self?).Be bold – stretch yourself – reach for greatness and don’t settle for less.Try using this template for your resolutions or feel free to write your own.  Remember to start with gratitude - give thanks for what’s working, what you have been blessed with and go forth and clearly state your intentions.  In addition, give this a whirl at least a week or better yet the month leading up to your birthday.  Allow yourself to clearly meditate on this and embrace your day with big plans.So many wishes….so few candles! Birthday Meditations:1.) To start, this is my list of all things I am grateful for_________,___________, etc.  One word answers are fine, but don’t forget anything - take time to bask in GRATITUDE.2.) I CELEBRATE________________about myself. Call out the things that make you happy about being you, take nothing for granted – it all needs to be celebrated.3.) I INTEND to tap into my true, authentic power and move forward with______________.Identify goals that you don’t yet feel traction with, but when you think about them they make your soul sing.  Be brave!4.) I’m excited to MANIFEST_________________.Dare to dream (BIG).  Think out of the box.  This is your life - if you don’t dream it, who will?5.) Aligned with my goals and purpose, I intend to GIVE BACK to others by doing the following:______________________.The “get” is in the give, no matter the size.  Contribute to a charity, sponsor a local sports team in your community or make dinner for a neighbor in need.  You can think local – charity starts at home. And when I close my eyes and blow out the candles on my birthday cake, I’m going to hold each of these resolutions in my heart and embrace my new year ahead.Happy Birthday to me and you and everyone around!And PS. if I know it’s your birthday, there’s nowhere to hide.  I’m celebrating you and hope you will join in on the party!Tell me what you do to celebrate you!