Happy March, rockstars!!

So yesterday was my 31st birthday, and seriously, 31 sounds like a really serious type of number. It feels even more serious when you realize that “turning 31” means that you have completed 31 trips around the sun, so really this is me starting my thirty-second round…

So every year I do a birthday post, and Neel suggested writing a “best hits of the past year” post, and the first thing I said was, “ohhh interesting. what hits did I have?” I need to do a better job of celebrating my highs and actually staying in the moment. I remember last year, I took the day off for my birthday and my mom and I went to go to Amazing Art Studio and then went to a perfumery the next day to make signature perfumes.

There were actually a lot of things I did for the first time during this past year around the sun:

• Travel: I went to Austin, TX for the first time for a depo (and a drunken post-depo night). I also went to Denver, CO and realized that life in the mountains could actually be really interesting. When I visited India, I visited Jaipur .. though it was not for the first time, it was the first time I actually remembered it.  
• Food: I tried a few restaurants and cafes for the first time: South Block, Joe and the Juice, Shotted, Blank Street, Imperfecto, Yvonne’s, and Greggorios – and funny enough, I’m celebrating my birthday with my friends and family at Greggorios and Imperfecto again!
• Other: I went to my first hot yoga class and I dyed my hair red

But there were plenty of things that didn’t change: I still blogged, made a lot of Lego, hung out with the same wonderful friends I’ve known out for years, painted/colored/did artistic things, danced, ate good food, and bought myself flowers. I still feel insanely grateful for the people in my life and everything that I have.

Yesterday, I went to dinner with some of my friends and Huda asked me: “so what are your goals for 31?” and I said: “oh god, uhh, goals.. what goals…” and I looked at Divya, who is my goal-girlie ride-or-die, “Divya, what goals do I have?” and she made the smart point that 31 is not really about having goals, 31 is all about enhancing — like I have everything I want in life, it’s just about making it better and stronger and more enhanced.

One thing that’s already better about 31 is that I actually remembered to make a wish when I was blowing out my candles — usually I forget! Right before I blew them out, I had one of those quick montages run through my head of all the things in my life that I now have but once dreamed of having. It made me realize how 31 can actually be filled with intentional moments to ensure that I become the best version of myself in all aspects of my life.

“Idk whether it’s cute or depressing how many opportunities people have invented to make wishes. birthday candles, eyelashes, fountains, stars, dandelions. people say they don’t believe in the universe or any kind of higher power but nobody ever passes up an opportunity to make a wish.”

I think we’re all full of hope and happiness and bids for connection from others. As one of my favorite Instagram users (@thetinyjoyproject) would say: There are moments when I feel almost overwhelmed by the fact that I get to experience this at all. The taste of cold water. The warmth of the sunlight on my skin. The simple relief of sitting down after standing too long. None of it is guaranteed. And yet, here it is.

May 31 be filled with these moments. May it be filled with quiet, random moments where I look around and I think, “Oh. This is my life,” and it was filled with peace. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.”

Until next time!

xo

Sandhya

Celebrate my 31st year around the sun with me! Click the follow or subscribe button to stay updated! You can also connect with me on twitter, my coffee and checkins Instagram, my podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or Amazon Music. Have a topic suggestion? Email me at coffeeandcheckins@gmail.com! I’d love to hear from you!🙂❤