So let’s talk…because the birthday blues are real.
(Even Medical News Today has 13 Ways to Beat Birthday Depression!)
My 26th birthday did not start as planned. Perhaps not knowing what to expect allowed me to cave into feelings.
I wish I could say that I woke up on my 26th birthday with smiles like the sunshine. But if I’m being honest, I totally cried.
But 26. Boy, does time fly the minute you pass 21. And honestly? I didn’t know if I could leave my bedroom. There was something about my birthday this year that made me question where I was in life. It was my first year of the birthday blues.
The Comparison Game
It always comes down to this question: Where am I in my life’s journey? Is it like my friends’ journeys? What should 26 look like?
Many of my friends are married, mothers or fathers, much further in their careers than I am…and I’m too busy to even think about the dating game.
Well if you’re stuck in a rut as I was on that rainy March morning, then I’m hoping you can take some encouragement out the door.
After spending time with the Lord, and beginning my prayer time being thankful, I began to remember all of the things I had been blessed with when I was 25. (sometimes it only takes a small step to get running!)
And the worst thing was: I forgot! I don’t write down those things just to show things off. I write them because despite all the things I was so thankful for in those moments, I still forgot.
Sometimes we are way too good at forgetting the good things.
Because of ugly comparisons, I allowed myself down the rabbit hole.
Focused on the blues, I forgot all of the amazing things going in my life.
Remember the things worth celebrating.
If you’re stuck in a rut, I encourage you to remember how far you’ve come and all the amazingness done in your life. Whether you’re dreading your next birthday or just dreading in general, remember the things worth celebrating.
“The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” Don’t let your day be destroyed by harmful, unproductive thoughts. You are worth more than those thoughts may want you to believe.
Though you can’t change your age, but you can embrace it. You are where you are in life for a reason. Your timeline is yours. Any perceived expectation about where you should be is just that… a perception. Your worth should be determined by God’s Word rather than measured by a comparison.
No matter where this post takes you, I pray you take this time to celebrate you! Birthday or not, event or not, do something today that allows you to treat yourself the way you need to feel about yourself.
Take steps in the right direction and the feelings will follow.
I sincerely hope this leaves you with some encouragement. I know the comparison game can begin the cycle of wrong thoughts, but I hope you know how truly special you are. You were created on purpose. And unless you feel called to move, you are where you are on purpose. For more on positive thoughts and musings, I have more posts here.
