I had a birthday a few days ago—another trip around the sun and another year older. The funny thing is, I am not that old. I just turned 25.
A birthday is something to celebrate. That goes double after you had an injury that threatened your life. It is crucial to remember it is a time for celebration.
It is time for your friends and family to acknowledge and be thankful that they still have years with you. It is a time to celebrate with your loved ones.
Birthdays: There is a dark side
There is a darker side to having a birthday. It signifies that you are another year older. This current birthday has been a difficult one for me.
25. A quarter-century. Birthdays are an excellent time to reflect on what you have done with your time on earth. I can almost guarantee that when you were younger, you had an image of where you would be at the age you become.
When I was younger, 25 was far away. I was going to have my dream job, have a loving husband, and starting a family of my own.
Spoiler alert, I have none of that. I must find peace that life does not turn out the way we plan it at times. I talked in an earlier post about timelines. I know that sometime down the road I will get everything I want; it just will take me longer to get there—just like everything else in my life.
It is essential when you get in this funk; I am in to dig yourself out of it fast. It would be best if you didn’t dwell on what you have yet to accomplish especially on birthdays.
I try to think of what I have accomplished. I tend to think of these accomplishments, but you can write them down and keep the list somewhere. Then, when you get into the funk, pull out the list.
Acknowledgment of accomplishments is especially crucial for people with brain injuries, even if it isn’t your birthday. Remember, everything you accomplish is a big feat and should be celebrated. Try to remember all the hard work you put into what you have done.
If you have yet to read my story, please click here to read it. My birthday is also the anniversary on my injury.