My only “rule” or “plan” on November second every year is to spend it doing whatever I want.
I sleep as much or little as I choose. I eat whatever my heart desires. I spend time with people and in places that fill me with joy.

Yet, there is one thing I commit to doing on my birthday: I take stock of what the previous year has gifted me.

How have I changed?
How have I grown?
What have I learned?
What am I most proud of?

In doing so I become profoundly grateful of every little thing that has helped me get here to where and who I am in this moment. I celebrate my ability to choose, to claim, to be.

Perhaps the biggest lesson, hurdle, challenge I faced this year, over and over again was to stop being small, stop hiding, stop saying yes when I really want to say no.

Instead I choose BIGNESS. I choose COLOURFUL. I choose LOUD. I choose JOY. I choose RAUCOUS. I choose SILLY. I choose to spread my proverbial wings, and own my bigness.

My friend Taryn Javier reminded me that I was born on the day of Transformation. And certainly deciding to quit playing small was transformative! So this year on the Day of the Dead I reflected on who I used to be, I thanked her, I prayed for her, and I let her go. For she is no longer me, and I am grateful.

{How does it get any better than this?! Why fireworks you ask? Because I’m celebrating, of course!}