I love the approach to designing a birthday that really worked for you. I’ve adopted that stance in recent years, calling “proactive and prescriptive.” One year, it was asking close family and friends to send a piece of snail mail. Another year it was asking people to contribute a “bucket list” item for me to choose from as I approached a big birthday. Often, it’s just ensuring there is mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer. It’s easier to feel content and seen when I’ve done the work of identifying what would make a good day and communicating that. Love reading your specifics and YES to the fancy wrapping paper.
The two P’s. Love that! And it requires embracing your agency (to know what you want, to ask for what you want). The experience of asking for something and receiving it (fully) is so underrated! And it made me smile to know you get why the fancy wrapping paper felt so nice :)
It’s funny, I read this right after telling my husband I wanted to stay in for my upcoming birthday dinner because that seems more enjoyable to me than taking our 18 month old out. There is so much pressure around birthdays, especially milestone birthdays- I’m so glad you could have your best birthday.
I love that you bought the fancy wrapping paper. But the big question in my mind is what will you wrap with it?! I’m not great at using the fancy things I buy, I’m better at saving them forever.
Gosh the fancy wrapping paper could be its own essay (the choice to buy, when & how to use-- tell meyou’re a psychiatrist without telling me you’re a psychiatrist 😂).
It was Japanese inspired cat block print. I used part of it to wrap a Xmas gift for Justin (tins of chili infused smoked fish). The rest I have in my pretty things pile in my closet so TBD on that!
Happy 40th!! Welcome, it is great. For my low-key-but-not-TOO-low-key 40th I picked themes for the day: Vegan food and going to the park. They acted as a sort of compass for when I wasn’t sure what to do.
I will be turning 40 this year and I realized I have no desire to have a big party at all. Thank you for sharing your process and how you celebrated. I am feeling so grounded in myself as I enter 40 and "being enough" just captures it so well.
I’ll be turning 40 this year so thank you very much for your post. I’ve been a little stressed about it and putting too much pressure on myself to do something “big” but this gave me some great inspiration to do what I want to do and spend it with the people I care about most.
Congrats on your fortieth birthday. Forty is a great year, just when you really understand who you are and what you are up to, understand your strengths and weaknesses. I did not know that you now lived in Austin. So do I. I thought you were still in DC. Would love to meet you sometime. Susan
I love the approach to designing a birthday that really worked for you. I’ve adopted that stance in recent years, calling “proactive and prescriptive.” One year, it was asking close family and friends to send a piece of snail mail. Another year it was asking people to contribute a “bucket list” item for me to choose from as I approached a big birthday. Often, it’s just ensuring there is mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer. It’s easier to feel content and seen when I’ve done the work of identifying what would make a good day and communicating that. Love reading your specifics and YES to the fancy wrapping paper.
The two P’s. Love that! And it requires embracing your agency (to know what you want, to ask for what you want). The experience of asking for something and receiving it (fully) is so underrated! And it made me smile to know you get why the fancy wrapping paper felt so nice :)
It’s funny, I read this right after telling my husband I wanted to stay in for my upcoming birthday dinner because that seems more enjoyable to me than taking our 18 month old out. There is so much pressure around birthdays, especially milestone birthdays- I’m so glad you could have your best birthday.
I love that you bought the fancy wrapping paper. But the big question in my mind is what will you wrap with it?! I’m not great at using the fancy things I buy, I’m better at saving them forever.
Gosh the fancy wrapping paper could be its own essay (the choice to buy, when & how to use-- tell meyou’re a psychiatrist without telling me you’re a psychiatrist 😂).
It was Japanese inspired cat block print. I used part of it to wrap a Xmas gift for Justin (tins of chili infused smoked fish). The rest I have in my pretty things pile in my closet so TBD on that!
Happy 40th!! Welcome, it is great. For my low-key-but-not-TOO-low-key 40th I picked themes for the day: Vegan food and going to the park. They acted as a sort of compass for when I wasn’t sure what to do.
thank you Liz! and I like that idea of a theme or two for days or weekends or times that feel momentous but can also be paralyzing or pressure filled.
I will be turning 40 this year and I realized I have no desire to have a big party at all. Thank you for sharing your process and how you celebrated. I am feeling so grounded in myself as I enter 40 and "being enough" just captures it so well.
I’ll be turning 40 this year so thank you very much for your post. I’ve been a little stressed about it and putting too much pressure on myself to do something “big” but this gave me some great inspiration to do what I want to do and spend it with the people I care about most.
Congrats on your fortieth birthday. Forty is a great year, just when you really understand who you are and what you are up to, understand your strengths and weaknesses. I did not know that you now lived in Austin. So do I. I thought you were still in DC. Would love to meet you sometime. Susan