Celebrate with me all month during my virtual #BirthdayMonthOfConnections events. Schedule of remaining events here. Birthday hats optional.

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All I wanted to do was bring cupcakes to class.

But, alas, with my birthday falling in August, I didn’t get a school birthday. And that was before they did that half-birthday thing. All the summer birthdays were just left out in the cold …. or, rather, in the heat.

As I got a little older, my dad took his vacation during the week of my birthday, and we often drove to visit my grandmother who lived 4 hours away. The long drive in the family car with my brother was not an attractive birthday present. My grandmother, a product of the Great Depression and a simple life on a small Nebraska farm, did not see any reason for extravagance for birthdays or anything else. Therefore, my birthday was a small, simple affair at her house.

When I became an adult and could steer my own birthday ship, I started having an entire birthday month. I wasn’t the first to come up with that idea, but I have totally owned this fabulous birthday ritual. Why not? As an adult, you almost always have to work on your actual birthday. People around you are too busy to make cakes or have parties or give gifts. So – you might as well just celebrate for a whole month. Right?

Eventually my birthday month ritual developed into a spiritual practice. I picked themes for practice or reflection; I pick a charity (see this year’s fundraiser for World Central Kitchen!) to which to give so that it’s not just a narcissistic me-fest (though my brother may disagree about that. Lol.). As a practice of empowerment, I trained for and completed my first triathlon as my present to myself for my 40th birthday.

This year, because I think we can all use some fun in community, this is going to be a Birthday Month of Connections. I’m hosting a series of Zoom events not just to party with my friends (though that’s great), but because forming community is a core value of my work and business. I envision gathering awesome, mindful leaders who not only want to connect with me, but with each other. We all need support in these days from healthy, creative and resilient folks. I know quite a few of those people, and y’all should know each other.

Connections and relationships matter. Forming community — even around a birthday month — matters. Join me in celebrating — you may even meet some new friends and kindred spirits along the way! I can’t wait to see you.