Why I Always Celebrate My Birthday

For this week’s blog post, I want to talk about birthdays. As we get older, many of us come to dread our birthdays. We think, “Ugh, another year older,” as if being alive is something we should be upset about and not look forward to. As you can imagine, I whole-heartedly disagree with this point of view, because I view aging as a privilege, not a punishment. 

The way I see it, we have to start treating birthdays as something that we’re grateful for. What a blessing it is to be alive and healthy—to get out of bed every morning and live another day. It’s easy to take our lives for granted, but really, we should be soaking up every minute that we can! 

So in honor of my 64th birthday (and 65th trip around the sun), here are a few reasons why I always celebrate my birthday… and why you should, too. 

1. My birthday reminds me to be grateful. 

Every year on my birthday, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to be who I am and where I am in this life. I’ve had so many incredible experiences—from working in television, to starting my own business—and have crossed paths with hundreds, if not thousands, of fantastic individuals. It’s taken time and work, and it wasn’t all rainbows, but I feel proud of my accomplishments and the life I’ve built for myself. More than that, I recognize that not everyone gets to live 64 years, and for that alone, I’m immensely grateful. Every new year of life is another chance to pursue our passions, live with purpose, and make special, unforgettable memories. 

If you have a birthday coming up, I encourage you to take some time (even 15 minutes) to reflect on the last year and jot down a few things you’re grateful for in a journal. Whether it’s a memory, an experience, an opportunity, or a newfound friend, there’s always something we can be grateful for, and writing it down lets it all sink in!  

2. The second half of my life has been better than the first. 

There’s a common misconception that after women turn 40, it’s all downhill from there. But I firmly believe that the second half of your life can be better than the first, and that’s certainly been the case for me! I have so much now that I didn’t have before: a career where I get to help women live their best lives, the Pure Joy Wellness community (hint: that’s you), and so much more. The more experiences we have, the more we know about ourselves, what we need, and what we like. And because we know all of this, we can tailor these years to be exactly what we want them to be. Exciting, right? That’s the beauty of aging!

3. I am more me than I’ve ever been, and that’s worth celebrating. 

The longer I’ve lived on this earth, the more I’ve come to understand my own power. After turning 40, I started to care less about what other people thought of me, and more about what I thought of me. I stopped believing all the lies we’re told about aging (that we become irrelevant, out of touch, valueless, etc.) and started to reclaim my life and chase after my dreams. And today, I am more self-aware and content with who I am than I’ve ever been. To me, that’s something to celebrate. 

I hope that this year (and for years to come) you’ll start to look forward to your birthday and get excited about it! You have every reason to enjoy it, and as always, the Pure Joy Wellness community will be there to celebrate with you. (Seriously, tell us in our private Facebook group when it’s your birthday—we’ll help ring in this new year with you!) 

Xo, 

Renata