My dear friend, Lisa, took me to brunch this morning for my 32nd birthday. I ordered some peppermint tea and the tag read "reward yourself". Lisa, who has known me for nearly ten years immediately said, "Christa, as if you need anyone to tell you that." She's right of course, I've made rewarding myself a habit, though that wasn't always the case, and as much as I love being nice to myself, it doesn't come without a tiny piece of questioning each time. I took the day off today to celebrate me. I got the idea from my friend, Ken, who also took his birthday off as a personal day this year. Another friend of mine, Alex, told me about a company that gives its employees their birthdays off as an extra perk.
I took myself for a nice long walk through the park - a glorious, sunny day - and then to get a manicure and pedicure. After that, I took another long and leisurely stroll home. It was one of those days that I was so happy to have had, and would have been so sad to see end except for the fact that I know another self-reward is likely just around the corner.
Alex also was telling me today that as adults we don't celebrate or birthdays with the same gusto as children. And that started me wondering how this happened. As a kid, I would wake up with such an excitement that my big day had arrived. And while today I was thrilled to have the day off, I didn't have that tingly happy birthday feeling. So, as my birthday wish, simple though it may seem, I am searching for a way to get that birthday tingle back, a way to believe that self-celebration is not a luxury, but rather something that comes naturally.
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