My Unexpected Birthday Gift
Every year when my birthday comes around, I get so excited. I love celebrating my birthday, probably for two reasons: my mother always made a big deal out of it when I was growing up and her birthday was 3 days before mine so it was always a special birthday week for me.
Birthday Celebration #1
Since the time my mother passed away 20 years ago, I still keep up with the theme of birthday week. In fact, I love my birthday so much that I torture my friends every year and make them sing karaoke with me.
Karaoke Last Year
Life threw me a little curve ball this year. It’s funny what happens sometimes when you are asking for answers, you sometimes get them in a way that goes completely unexpected.
I have been asking the universe for many years now to help me slow down, work less and enjoy all of the benefits of all of the hard work I have put in. The abundance part started paying off. Over the past (little over a) year, I have had the most successful month ever in my jewelry business ever and I launched an online school for jewelry designers teaching them practical business skills. In the process, I also started teaching fewer yoga classes to make some space to work on these two businesses.
The final thing I have been asking the universe for is space to slow down so I can draw in someone special in my life. Being busy is cool, but I found that maybe I could be less busy and have a lot better results.
Well the universe sometimes acts in mysterious ways and I was forced to slow down! Friday I received an unexpected b’day gift, the gift of a torn calf muscle.
Carlie and I sporting our injuries
(My sister, Carlie, is also sporting a fractured shoulder so we make an awesome pair here in NYC. That’s us at my NYC family b’day dinner)
You might think I am crazy to call this a gift, but I am looking at it this way. I have two choices, to be totally annoyed and PO’d or to enjoy the downtime that this injury is forcing me to take.
So what am I doing?
- Getting a massage for my b’day with my Aunt.
- Spoiling myself to some much needed sleep instead of working out.
- Letting people help me when I need it (walking down 6th ave on crutches with grocery bags get’s everyone going out of their way to help you).
- Getting deep into my meditation practice.
- Being open to life, love and the positive lesson something like this can bring.
- Saying YES to a date with a cute boy.
- Designing more.
- Being creative at how to re-frame my morning routine with things that will pamper my soul rather than make my body go harder.
- Letting go of teaching yoga for now until I heal (well doctor’s orders).
- Donating my birthday to Charity Water (see more about this below)
And finally….
I also love my birthday because it gives me the opportunity to be a little indulgent and spoil myself. This year I created a ring inspired by a ring I saw when I was in India years ago.
My birthday present to myself
Birthdays are an important time to celebrate YOU!
How are you celebrating your life this year?
Please tell me below in the comments….
Plus here are a few of my other favorite birthday gifts that I have designed…
Rosecut Diamonds-Love
And another 40th birthday gift for a lucky clients!
Heirloom Redesign Wedding Set
I can’t believe I started to write “That’s so awesome!” about your torn calf muscle message, but you did such a great job of highlighting the blessing in it and I’m gratified to hear that you are taking this birthday in a little slower than usual, but with the same amount of FUN. Wish I were there to carry groceries, sing BADly (really, can the world ever hear too much Like a Virgin?!), and buy you drinks. I love you Trace!!:)
Am so sorry you’re in crutches for your birthday! Had a similar experience many years ago– I was working and finishing law school, took the bar exam, and just felt burnt out with all the demands and pressure. I remember remarking, ‘ I really need a break- I can’t keep up this pace”. Two weeks after taking the bar, I tripped over my dog in the middle of the night and broke BOTH my arms! I asked for “a break”, I got TWO!!! But it did make me slow down, gave me time to be with my husband during his mother’s illness and death. I learned to let people help me. Be sure to take plenty of pictures at this time, you’ll love to laugh at them later. Just remember to appreciate the slow down and be aware of the blessings you receive in this time. Best wishes and speedy recovery to you and your sister Tracy! I love the necklace you made for me and wear it often. Now I’ll smile when I put it on thinking of you girls and your “bandages” of honor!
I loved your birthday posting for the insight it gave me. Your birthday was a gift of a thoughtful and reflective message. A positive attitude is critical and so bloody important – it attracts so much good into all of our lives. And, that honey, is the secret to your success. (Of course, you knew that). Keep celebrating!! Love you bunches!!
Awesome post! I hope you had a great birthday week — enjoy your slow down time and the date with the cute boy. 🙂
I also got a “slow down” birthday gift last month. My laptop died the day before and the ONLY thing I was unable to recover were all the business files I had been spinning my wheels on for nearly two months. I took that as a sign to just let it go and couldn’t be happier!