Birthdayphobia? Not this year.

I got my first birthday card in the mail yesterday from a dear girlfriend of mine. I kinda forgot my birthday was this week.
I admit that I had a hard time turning 30 last year.
Why is 30 hard for so many people? For me, I think it was because I couldn’t believe how fast 30 years have gone by. Wait, I am married and have a daughter? How did that happen? Plus, it meant that I am officially now a “grown-up.” I still felt like a kid in my 20s.
It seems like we live in a world where aging is frowned upon. Is it just me or does it seem like we’re constantly being told that growing older is a bad thing? Every time I turn on the TV I am bombarded with advertisements for anti-aging products. We are told which creams will make our skin more supple, which exercises will help our bums defy gravity, and which bras will help us look perky.
So often in my life I thought that I was not pretty enough, I weighed too much, I hated the way my stomach looked… Today, I look back on those photos of yesteryear and see such a beautiful person. How sad that I couldn’t fully embrace that in the moment.
Now, I try to have a better view on aging. I am pretty comfortable in my skin these days. My mission is that even though I too will look “older”, have more wrinkles, and more grey hair each coming year, I will try to let go of the negative thoughts and embrace it. That actually brings me peace — and today at age 31, I strive to embrace that “letting go.”
Letting go. Letting go of this idea that I have to be a certain size or look a certain way. Letting go of the negative thoughts. Letting go of a number. 31. What does that really even mean?
15 lessons learned + 16 goals for the next year = a pretty nice 31st birthday
Focus on lessons learned. I’ve been blessed to have learned a few things through my 31 years on this earth life. Take it for what it’s worth. Here are 15 of them.

1. Slow down. Try to enjoy each moment. Even when your toddler is screaming and throwing food on the floor.
2. Money isn’t everything. It might make life easier though. Still figuring this one out.
3. Motivation comes in short bursts. Act while it’s hot or when the baby is napping.
4. Have a plan. For meals, cleaning the house, date nights, whatever. If its not written down it doesn’t happen in my house.
5. Get outside everyday.
6. Be your biggest cheerleader. Don’t wait for others to be or you might wait for a long time.
7. Follow your own advice. Walk your talk. Yes, I have been caught with kale smoothies in public.
8. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and who help you reach your goals.
9. Life can change in an instant. Loss sucks but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
10. Make yourself a priority everyday. Even if is only for 30 minutes. Buy yourself something new from time to time.
11. Move your derriere everyday. I don’t care if you are running marathons or going pole dancing. You won’t regret it.
12. No matter how much you care, some people just don’t care back. And it’s not the end of the world.
13. You cannot make someone like you (even on Facebook). All you can do is be someone who can be liked. The rest is up to them.
14. Listen to your body. It’s telling you a thing or two.
15. Eat greens. Every damn day. Game changer I tell you.

Focus on goals. I gotta have a plan or life happens and all I’m doing is cleaning my kitchen, watching Yo Gabba Gabba and changing diapers. Below are 16 goals I have before I turn 32 (Gasp!)

1. Actually run a 1/2 marathon (I have signed up for one but life happened and I didn’t get to run – next year it’s on baby!)
2. Work on my yard. It has been neglected quite a bit. We are getting grass. It’s a start.
3. Launch my first group program in the Fall. Stay tuned. It’s going to rock.
4. Explore photography. Love it.
5. Go to a health conference in Los Angeles. Never been there. Pretty pumped.
6. Continue blogging. You love it, right? Like it?
7. Buy a food processor. I don’t have one and I think life in the kitchen would be a bit easier.
8. Buy an iPhone and get hip with technology. I have a phone now that doesn’t accept photo texts. Yeah, it kinda sucks.
9. Go to Mexico for vacation. Hells yeah.
10. Video blog for the first time. Watch out world.
11. Get back into yoga. Loved it in one point of my life. Need to get back to that place.
12. Remodel my living room. Paint. Move furniture around. Get some new vibes in there.
13. Volunteer somewhere. Thinking about getting into the school system.
14. Write a cookbook.
15. Wash my car. Haven’t done this in months. Pathetic.
16. Purge more clothes and crap out of my house. Whew!

We will see what else grows this year (like my new grass in my backyard).

What are your favorite lessons learned? What are your goals before your next birthday? I want to hear your story.