The Caring Counselor

How do I spend my 34th trip around the sun? Sitting in a Starbucks writing for my blog, of course. As an adult, I’ve never put a ton of emphasis on my birthday. Some people celebrate “birth month,” but I keep it low key. It is just another day for yours truly. However, with many other days throughout the year, I use it as a time of reflection.

We use age as a deadline and measure of success. “I want to retire by the age of 60.” “By the time I’m 35, I better be married.” I’ve always been lenient with these numbers and kept in mind that I might revise them along the way. I have to say though that I didn’t expect my life to totally be where it is now. I don’t mean that in a bad way either.

I’ve achieved all of my career goals that I set out for myself and that I wanted to have done by this age. I am finally feeling confident about maintaining my health and all around well-being. Finally, the facets feel balanced out. I am in a fantastic relationship living with two great kids and in a beautiful area.

I do have to say having the cognitive flexibility to adapt and see the alternatives along the way served me well. It provided me with an opportunity to adjust on the fly, especially with the curveballs that life likes to throw our way. Cognitive flexibility makes it easier to handle difficult situations through examining the validity of situations and accepting them at face value. Once you can say “It is what it is” or “shit happens,” life’s problems become easier to resolve.

I am proud of where I am and how I got here. I am going to give myself credit where credit is due because I know the work that has gone into my journey.

I look forward to trip #35 and what lessons it brings.

-The Caring Counselor