3 Lessons I'm Carrying Into 39

It’s been a busy season over here, and I’ve been making a conscious effort to be more mindful of my capacity. (More on that in a minute!)

But tomorrow is my 39th birthday! 🎉 And I couldn’t think of a better reason to pop back in and share a little something from the heart.

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately. On the woman I am, the woman I’m becoming, and everything it’s taken to get to this point.

And let me tell you, this year has given me PLENTY to reflect on!

It’s funny that I launched a program called Emerge during a year when I’ve been doing so much emerging of my own. And when I say emerging, I mean doing the actual work. The uncomfortable conversations with myself, the unlearning, the decisions, the rediscovering.

Some days have been easier than others, but I’m proud of the work I’ve been putting into myself. So, in honour of my birthday, I thought I’d share three lessons I’m carrying with me into my 39th year. Maybe one of them will resonate with you, or remind you of someone in your life who needs to hear it.

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1. I’m learning to understand myself differently

In May, I was diagnosed with ADHD. And whewww, has that opened my eyes! It’s changed so much about how I understand myself, how I feel about myself, and even how I speak and communicate. I’ve found myself looking back at things I’ve struggled with or criticized myself for and seeing them through a completely different lens. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still figuring a LOT of this out. But I’m learning to be more patient with myself and give myself the grace I haven’t always offered.

I wonder how many of us have spent years being hard on ourselves for things we simply didn’t understand about ourselves.

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2. I’m learning to prioritize my capacity

When I launched Emerge, I had a whole vision for what it would look like. But shortly after launching, I had to get honest with myself about my capacity and my mental health. Now, the old me would’ve said, “Girl, you already put it out there. No takebacks!” And I would’ve pushed through because that’s what I was used to doing. But one thing I’ve realized is that I haven’t always made my own capacity a priority. This time, I did. I gave myself permission to change the plan, and I’m proud of that decision. I still believe wholeheartedly in what I created. I’m just learning that I deserve to be considered in the process, too.

And maybe that’s something you need to hear, too. Just because you’ve committed to something doesn’t mean you have to keep sacrificing yourself to see it through.

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3. I’m making room for more of myself

Okay, can we talk about my recent brand photoshoot for a second?! Because something about that experience brought out a side of me that I didn’t realize how much I’d missed. I felt sexy. Strong. I was looking at myself like, “Well, HELLO!” 😂 But beyond the photos, it reminded me of something. There are parts of ourselves that we sometimes tuck away, whether intentionally or without even realizing it. And I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to give those parts of ourselves permission to come forward again. On our own terms.

When was the last time you saw a side of yourself that made you think, “Damn, I’ve missed this version of me”? And now, here comes 39!

I don’t know about you, but birthdays always have a way of making me look back at how far I’ve come.

And this year, I’m especially proud of the ways I’ve been showing up for myself.

Not because I’ve got everything figured out. HA! Far from it.

But because I’m learning to recognize my growth, honour what I need, and appreciate the woman I am right now, while still making room for the woman I’m becoming.

And if you’ve been doing some work on yourself lately, I hope you’re giving yourself some credit, too. Especially for the things that might not be obvious to anyone else.

There’s so much worth celebrating in the process.

So here’s to 39, to continuing to emerge, and to all the good things still ahead.