Being a Leo

My birthday has always been difficult for me. It's not that I have any kind of stigma about getting older or anything along those lines. It's just that to me, birthdays should be fun. I go out of my way to make sure my friends and family have fun on their birthday but for me, not so much.

As a kid, it was hard to get friends together for a party. With my birthday being at the beginning of August, it was difficult with friends gone on summer break. School didn't start until the end of the month and by then, it was too late to do anything. Then enter adulthood. No birthday parties. No cards with money from relatives. Just work. Rent and other bills took priority. My husband tries to bring the fun for me, but overall, my birthday usually just brings out the blah in me.

Except this year.

Now last month I had to use up all my vacation time I had earned so far at my new job to be out for my surgery. This meant I would have to work, but I didn't care. My husband cared far more about that than I did. I can't quite explain, but this year felt different. This was the first year in a very long time that I haven't felt stressed. I bought myself a pair of 'potion purple' Minnie Mouse ears and wore them all day at work. Everyone got a big kick out of the little bit of Disney magic I was able to bring in. It was a great day, filled with great people wishing me a happy birthday, and my husband spoiling me like he always does but certainly doesn't have to.

Maybe because I finally feel like I'm at a job where I am appreciated and have room to progress. Maybe I'm just feeling extremely hopeful about the future. Big changes are on the horizon. I can just feel it. Here's what my birthday has shown me:

Take the time to appreciate what you have, not lament what was lost. Look ahead to the future, not to the past. You'll just run into a brick wall if you aren't paying attention. I am not home for eleven hours, five days out of the week. I get stressed and tired, only getting to see my husband for a handful of hours. Fun is lacking these days, it feels like. But something I have learned lately is to make the fun when you can. I still write when I can, even if it is just a few little sentences in a notebook. Walk around work wearing purple Minnie Mouse ears. Take the times for the things you love. Remember for self care. And always bring the fun.