Hello Monday Letter + Good Reads + a Birthday GIVEAWAY!

A birthday cake that my husband baked last year for me

It’s that time of the year again for me. When I think of chocolate cake and homemade frosting, blowing out birthday candles and waking up to presents. As the week curls up on Sunday, I’ll turn 32. I’ll celebrate and cherish thirty-two years of treading this Earth; a life filled with love, learning and creativity. But on each of these days that lead up to my birthday on March 30, I will feel grateful for who I am, for where I was born, for the place in my life I am at. 

Me as a little girl with my parents

Not for a moment do I lament or even consider being ‘over-the-hill’ because spilling over the third decade isn’t the end of the world or the end of good things. If at all, every year that gets poured into my life is a blessing, a chance to grow and about a burgeoning feeling of self-acceptance and contentment.

I am so much surer of myself than I was 5 or 10 years ago. I am less hard on myself, not insecure and absolutely not prone to following anyone else’s dreams/style/attitude at this place in life. I’m more familiar with my strengths and weaknesses, and less bothered with what others think or say.

Talking about what matters and the art of self-acceptance, here’s a Letter to a Daughter by Stephanie Beaty. She writes about real beauty and self-worth…all the things my mother used to tell me when I was a little girl. Things that have built the foundations of who I am today at the cusp of 32, and who I will be at the end of my life.

I also loved the chutzpah in this list - Top 10 Reasons Why Being 40 Rocks. I still have another 8 years to go before I slide into 40, but I relished the wisdom in Karen’s words and brought home some for myself.

And an article brimming with some more. 5 Benefits to Embracing Who You Really Are is just what I’ve been thinking of as I carve out another milestone. It’s the path I’m on, the message I love to share, the wisdom I want to live out whatever circumstance I am in or wherever I am.

As I round up this post, I want to tell you that Im hosting my First Giveaway this week to celebrate my Birthday. Just leave a comment on this post as well as / or on any of the others that follow this week. I’ll make a list of the names of all those who commented on my blog this week and then draw out a winner.

I’m giving away a copy of ‘Me before You’ by Jojo Moyes, a book I had mentioned here. This is a beautiful story about life and love, loss and learning – the four Ls that capture the essence of our time on this earth. “You only get one life. It’s actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.” Sums up my birthday motto this year J.

So stay tuned, for more posts this week + the name of the winner (I’ll announce the name next Monday here at my blog).

Good Morning Monday & Hello New Week!