Birthdays used to make me uneasy.
I’d measure myself against invisible scoreboards—what I should have by now, who I should be by now, where I should already be standing.
Each candle felt less like a celebration and more like proof of what I lacked.
But I see birthdays differently now.
A birthday isn’t a deadline.
It’s a mirror.
And when you pause to look, you don’t just see what you’ve gained—you see what you’ve released.
The Truth About Time
Research shows we overestimate what we can do in a single year and underestimate what we can do in five. That’s why most of us carry this quiet panic about “running out of time.” We think life is a race against the clock.
But the real race isn’t with time—it’s with misalignment.
Every year I stayed in places that drained me, I aged faster.
Every year I silenced myself, I felt older than I was.
And every time I honored my own truth, I felt years lighter.
What I’ve Learned
Here’s the wisdom this year has pressed into me:
Pausing isn’t losing. Every time I’ve given myself space to breathe before deciding, I’ve avoided choices I’d regret.
Gratitude isn’t the same as settling. I can be thankful for the present while still reaching for more.
Boundaries are gifts. Saying no hasn’t cost me love—it’s revealed who can love me without conditions.
Self-trust is the milestone that matters. The more I trust myself, the less I need the scoreboard.
The Gift of Alignment
What I want more than anything this year is simple:
clarity.
Not the kind that comes from forcing timelines or chasing other people’s approval—but the clarity that comes from being fully present, fully honest, and fully aligned with what I want.
Because clarity saves me from wasted years.
Energy restores when I stop fighting myself.
And self-trust—the best gift—makes me free at any age.
So this birthday, I’m not counting years.
I’m counting lessons unlearned, traps untangled, and choices I can finally make with peace.
The best gift of age isn’t experience—it’s the wisdom to stop abandoning yourself.
Reflection for you:
What belief about time, age, or “being behind” are you ready to untrap for yourself?
And if you’re ready to start living from clarity instead of fear, that’s what Get Untrapped™ is here for. We do this work every week together.