Deep inside, I truly believe that we should be celebrating life each and every day as well as celebrating the lives of those we love. Life should never be taken for granted; life is not a given. This year I have experienced so much loss, but I am still making a conscious effort to show up to life daily and to count my blessings.
Birthdays don’t have to be a huge fanfare but it’s so beautiful when friends and family remind you that you matter.
Spiritually, I think birthdays’ are about reflection; with reflection comes both gifts and challenges. I like to think about what I want over the coming year; it is also a day to not only remember the many losses that are imprinted on our hearts, but to celebrate life and the future. In order to grow, we sometimes need to reflect. Accepting the realities of life and reaching for our dreams takes work, hard work. When you realise your dreams, you are also admitting that there are things you want and areas that you are falling short. Ultimately, reflection can be a gift you give yourself. I love to take time to think about how blessed I am, I believe appreciation brings duplication. Only when we are truly grateful for the lives we have (no matter what our situation is) will we be blessed with more. I like to count my blessing every day and they usually go something like this: I’m blessed to live in this country. Blessed to have a wonderful husband, family and friends. Blessed to have work that interests me. Blessed to be in a community with people who are good, kind and compassionate. I include you, the readers of Gulf Times, as part of that community.
Overall, I feel like I’m in a good place in my life. That doesn’t mean everything is exactly as I would like it but, I have faith in myself and God, I’ve worked hard to get myself to this place, and I know that I need to reinforce the blessings on a daily basis.
So, every day, I begin my day with prayer and meditation to help set me on the right path. I’m getting better at silencing the critical voice in my mind, and now, I have the tools to help guide my life forward in a positive way and I wish you the same.
*The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa, Website: missshefa.com