Sunday is a big birthday for me. I can’t really wrap my head around it. The big 6-0. I’ve been thinking about it as six uh-oh.

Why uh-oh? Because it’s one of those life events where you had these pictures of who you would be and what your life would look like at this age.

Heck, I have pictures of what my grandmothers looked like at this age.

None of it is what I thought it would be.

I am happily single. I don’t have kids. I have worked for myself for the past 12 years. I am pretty sure younger me wouldn’t have seen any of this coming.

Am I thinking about retiring? Nope! In no way am I looking to slow down or exit my career. In fact, I am publishing my first book later this year and will be promoting it for the next year or two, which is a giant investment of time and money.

Because I am moving soon, I’m in the process of going through lots of papers and pictures. I’m coming face to face with me at all sorts of stages and ages. I am trying to put together a coherent narrative of who I really am. It’s still a hodgepodge collage without a through line, to be honest.

I was talking with a colleague yesterday who is 64. She said if she shut down her business tomorrow, the first thing she would do is get on one of the job sites and look for something to do. She has a ton of energy and experience and would lose her mind if she didn’t have a job.

I would do the same.

However, there are some benefits to stopping periodically and deciding what you want to create going forward. Since you are much more likely to do it if you write it down and share it, here goes:

  • I would like to do more group coaching. This was the best thing I have done in my business over the past year. I love creating a safe container and supporting professionals with their job search, or growing their business.
  • I would like to tap back into my creativity. For whatever reason, I stopped drawing, playing music, and writing poetry. I want to get back to that because it’s fun and nourishing for my soul.
  • I would like to be a bestselling author. I hope my book gets to the people who need it and it helps as many people as possible.
  • I would like to continue having fun with various forms of dance fitness. Recommitting to moving my body has been a blast and has helped keep me in a better headspace.
  • I would like to travel again. It was great to leave the state after three years. A change really can do you good.

As I read through these, I feel hopeful. I am feeling strong and healthy, and after these years of pandemic, that seems more valuable to me than anything.

So, on Sunday, let’s raise a glass and toast to my big six uh-oh birthday.

It’s good to stop and celebrate from time to time.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash