27

I turned 27 today 🤠

And per usual, I wrote myself a letter.

I highly recommend writing birthday letters. I've written myself letters on my birthday every year since I was 20. They're fun to write and fun to look back on.

Here are a few notes from my letter this year:

• Everyone made me feel so loved this birthday and I'm so grateful. I want to remember how this felt so I can pass it onto others.
• I took up more space this birthday. I felt queasy about that at first, but my roommate James helped me see it's good to be the main character now and then. We both moved from 4-person birthday parties to larger ones this year.
• I took vacation again for my birthday. I've done it most years. It is delicious every time. I like to spend most of it solo being a flâneur.
• My letters have less angst as I get older. I used to keep telling myself to do XYZ, or explained some new insight. But now, I don't have as much to say in these letters tbh and I like that. I have more gratitude now instead.
• A recent insight I feel strongly about: There can be tough times in life, but often things do get better. Examples:
  • Work: I had a tough time with work this last year and there are moments I thought it wouldn't get better. But it did get better and work is in a good spot now.
  • Friendships: I thought I'd never have the level of friendship/community I had in college again. But here I am 5 years later, feeling like I do. Related
• Friendships/relationships: Friendships and relationships can have rough patches and a lot of discomfort. They can be long rough patches too. But I've seen in people I know, there's been a light at the end of the tunnel.
• Check-in: How do I feel about aging? Pretty good.
  • Mental:
    • My life philosophy has coalesced in such a way that gives me some peace here. I don't feel like I need to do anything particular in life (see this and this) and I'm just trying to have a good time.
    • I do feel stress about getting into a relationship on some timeline, but I tell myself I just gotta play the game, try my best, and have patience.
    • I currently don't feel that much angst about career... for now. For now, I'm enjoying my 9-to-5 and would enjoy continuing it.
    • All this said, it is definitely possible friendship put me in such a good mood this birthday that everything is rose-tinted.
  • Physical:
    • I'm a bit sensitive about hair loss, but otherwise feeling good here.
    • I know what I can do that's in my control and that's all I can do - for skincare, muscle mass, whatever else.
    • I definitely have my share of back pain lol but alas.

Leaving y'all with today's fit pic: