Pressing Pause for a Birthday (!)

Image via pinterest

"I’ve learned that on your birthday, you cannot have the penguin from the zoo."
-Bobby Nolte, Age 10 (from a birthday card I received a few years ago)

Well, obviously, today is my birthday...! I don't say this so that all of you feel like you need to wish me a happy day (I swear, I'm not fishing here!), but rather, because it's a special day in life and I can't help but make note of it.  Although every year my birthday falls in the middle of the crazy hustle-and-bustle of the holidays, I think it's still a very important day to be enjoyed and a special time to stop, pause, and reflect. Both birthdays and the end of the year are a wonderful chance to take some time to look back at the past year of your life and think about all that has happened, how you have changed, what you are grateful for, what you've been through, and what has come into your life over the past 365 days. In looking towards the future, I also think it's a wonderful time to reflect on what you want to cultivate, focus on, make more space for, and work to change in the next year of your life or in the new year. I'll definitely be taking some time to reflect today as I begin a new year of my life, and as we approach 2012 and I finish formulating my reflections, I will be sure to share them with you :)

Some of the biggest highlights of this past year of my life? Getting engaged and beginning to plan a wedding, signing up for Advanced Teacher Training, going to Squam + 3 weddings this fall, _and starting a blog (!). It's been a great year. My biggest takeaway from the year and focus for the next year of my life? Making more time. More time for painting & creativity, more time for my own yoga practice, more time to spend with Ben and friends and family, and more time for doing nothing (relaxation, self care, resting!). More time.

But, today is not exactly the day to start making more time for all of these things (isn't that what a Type-A ALWAYS says?), as it is still the holiday season and since we're getting ready to go out of town on Wednesday (yay!). So, I'm excited to be spending my birthday teaching yoga, yes, running errands and getting lots of work done, and then heading out to dinner + "Jersey Boys" at the National Theater with my honey tonight. So see? At least I'm making some time for pure fun, entertainment, and time with someone special :)

So here's to days full of celebration and reflection--both on birthdays and in the coming holidays and New Year!

Namaste and lots of birthday love,
Mary Catherine