Guess what! It’s my BIRTHDAY! I am turning the page to Chapter 48! Wow. I am so thankful to God for allowing me to see this day. I’m getting emotional thinking about it. I share my birth month with my friend; excited about our birthdays, I called to ask her how she’s feeling about our celebration. She replied, “I feel like I just turned 50!” She didn’t mean she psychically felt 50 but she felt the joy of a milestone birthday. Those milestone birthdays – 18, 21, 30, 40 and the Big 50 are major deals. Not only are you glad you’ve made it, but you recognize that extra serving of gratefulness. I am dedicating this blog post to myself; because my birthday is a National Holiday! Everyone that knows me knows I especially enjoy all the festivities that comes along with my day. While I’m sharing this year with a pandemic, MY DAY will still be a day to remember – just in an unconventional way. Aside from starting my birthday morning drinking mimosas, I’ve decided to make it a day of deep reflection. You see I consider my birthday the start of a new year. It’s a time for me to make new goals, readjust some of the old ones, reflect on the gains and losses of the past year and pondering what I have learned from them. All with the understanding that I have the power to do what feels right and change what doesn’t accordingly. Every year needs room to grow and learn from the years before. That’s where the maturity factor kicks in. Let’s be authentic and transparent with our goals; after all those goals are about OUR vision – no one else’s. Setting goals for myself motivates me, it gives me a step-by-step plan to those things I am determined to achieve. Even if your birthday has already passed it’s not too late to Set Smart Goals. ● S- Specific ● M-Measurable ● A- Achievable ● R- Reasonable ● T- Timely Remember these are your goals don’t worry about what anyone thinks. What’s for you is not for anyone else to understand. Slowly move out of your comfort zone to allow yourself to grow at a manageable pace. Because “The only way to make sense out of change is to plug into it, move with it, and join the dance.” Alan Watts Note to self…. If you are trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be ~Maya Angelo