So Much Gratitude
Today, I'm 40. And I love it.
In a culture that seems to put a premium on all things youthful, I'm here to celebrate my oldness. At 40, I am a hundred million billion times wiser than 20 or 30-year-old me were. And although the actual number doesn't really matter, it is a symbol of all of the life that I've lived and the wisdom I've earned through that living. And so today I am celebrating all I'm grateful for. And let me tell you…my heart is full.
In absolutely no particular order, here is just a taste of all that I have and am grateful for on this special day.
My Health
Today I'm grateful for…
I'm not going to lie, I've taken this one for granted for the last decade, big-time. It seems this might be a thing for 30-somethings who are trying to do the career and parenting thing all at once. But I want to really acknowledge today that I am healthy and THAT is so precious. I can walk, I can see, I can hear, I can jump, I can run, I can eat dairy without getting diarrhea, I can easily sit on the floor with my kids and then easily get back up, I have no chronic diseases (that I know of), I fall asleep easily and stay asleep all night.
But in my forties…
So with all of that awesome healthiness, it's time to invest in keeping it that way. Last week, I joined Orange Theory because I clearly am unable to muster the self-discipline to work out on my own. I'm three workouts in and I really do love it. I know it won't be my thing forever, but it's a my thing for today. And I intend to stay active in my 40s, making exercise a regular part of every week. As for sleep, I've been recently forcing myself to go to bed at 8:30 (I know.) each night and it is doing WONDERS for my energy levels…especially in the morning. Early-to-bed seems to work well for me and I do enjoy it, actually. So I’m going to keep on it.
My Husband
Today I'm grateful for…
My husband is the husband that no one gets to have: He is a hands-on and loving dad, patient with all my moods and emotions, the cleaner and fixer of everything in our home, and he still thinks I'm hot after 15 years of marriage. (And he's looking pretty good himself.) I so appreciate his logical and clear-headed approach to just about everything. It's a perfect balance for my heart-led way of doing things which can sometimes send me into a tizzy.
But in my forties…
I need to reconnect with him. We complement each other so nicely, that it's easy for us to dive into "co-worker mode" with the kids. We divide and conquer and heave a sigh at the end of the day and then start over again. But we don't talk about the things that matter very often. And we don't really challenge each other. We just get shit done…really well. So intimacy needs to become the name of the game for us. And we need to formulate a plan for doing this. That's the first step.
My Kids
Today I'm grateful for…
Oh those little peanuts…they're my biggest teachers. They make me laugh daily and remind me to notice the little bits of joy in every day instead of being so adult about it. We are so deeply connected and share so many hugs and kisses and snuggles daily that sometimes I can barely stand it. It breaks my heart how much I love them.
But in my forties…
It's time to be more present with them. They deserve my connection and attention daily. And at the same time, they need me to set my limits more steadfastly instead of giving in or looking the other way when I'm exhausted. Most of all, they deserve adventures. We haven't had nearly enough adventures. Time to fix that.
My Family
Today I'm grateful for…
I pretty much hit the family jackpot. My two wonderful and loving parents are super supportive and involved in my life, yet give me space to do me without meddling. Perfect. I have two big brothers with whom I have a positive and caring relationship and their spouses (my sisters) and my niece and nephew are all so dear to me. We have a lot of fun when we're together. My in-laws are also supportive and love spending time with us and our kids. They're great. In short: I have been dealt a superb hand of "Family Cards."
But in my forties…
Man, I can do better. When it comes to my parents, it's becoming increasingly clear that time is doing its thing, as it does. I need to be intentional about making time to connect with them on the regular. This looks like daily phone calls and/or texts to say hello and pre-planning at least two get-togethers a month with them. As for my siblings and in-laws, I'd like to find a way to get to know them better, on a more meaningful level. This is going to mean intentionally planning smaller opportunities to connect intimately, instead of the typical big family get-together.
My Friends
Today I'm grateful for…
Ugh, I have such great friends. Some of them have been in my life since I was 9. Others only within the last year or two. But they represent the weird and wonderful twists and turns my life has taken over the past 40 years. I love them like family. I have funny friends that say "Fuck" a lot and make the most inappropriate jokes that would make you blush and serious and introspective friends who make me question everything I thought was true. I love them all.
But in my forties…
I want to be more generous with my close friends. I want to seek ways to make their lives better and to make them feel loved. And I want to keep making memories through doing weird and fun things regularly with them.
My Business
Today I'm grateful for…
I've created a profitable business where I get to do the work I love every day. I've connected with the most amazing people who have generously referred me to those who trust them and I am figuring out more every day.
But in my forties…
I want to systematize my entire business so that I'm not having to re-figure things out every time I work with someone. I want to provide more value to my clients than anyone else in my industry. So much that they can't even believe it's true. I want to grow my business to $1M in revenue before this decade is over. To do all this, I'm going to need to prune my services down to the essentials…the things that bring the most value to my clients.
My Love of Learning
Today I'm grateful for…
I have so many amazing teachers who continue to share their knowledge with me both in-person and from afar. I am so grateful for all of the books, podcasts, seminars, online courses, and other learning tools I've devoured over the last decade of my life. They've shaped my ideas about the world in so many ways and made it possible for me to be thriving in all of the areas listed above. Because of my love of learning I have learned how to start a business, be a better parent, meditate, create a budget, and about a million other things.
But in my forties…
I want to push myself to read and learn even more. I used to have a 2 book per month goal and have since gotten away from that. It's time to return to it so I can keep growing and discovering where my curiosity will take me next. I can't wait.
So you can see how I’m feeling pretty grateful on this beautiful day. I have so much and even more than that, I have so much to give.
It’s a good day. <3