Late Blooming Lessons – Life’s Second Chapter
“Every birthday is a chance to start a new chapter – to rewrite your story with more courage, love and truth.”
#9: A Birthday Reflection
As another birthday draws near, I find myself deep in reflection. Not the kind that simply skims over memories. Or revisits milestones. But the kind that asks hard questions. The kind that sifts through the layers of a life lived. Some beautifully. Some painfully. And the question is: What now?
The years tick by faster. Another 365 days entwined with challenges. Growth. Gratitude. Goals. Dreams fulfilled. And those unanswered.
A full spectrum of emotions. Joy that spilled over. Blessings that left me breathless. And gratitude that grounded me. But also, sadness. Grief that still echoes. Realizations that cut deep. And questions. So many questions. Questions that asked me to look closer… to feel deeper.
Questions about who I’ve been… and who I’ve silenced.
Who I’ve loved… and who I’ve lost.
What I’ve accepted… and what I’ve denied myself.
For years, I’ve made space for others. Some who should fit naturally. Yet don’t. Shrinking parts of myself to fit inside roles. Expectations. Relationships. I’ve stayed, sometimes too long, in places where I no longer belonged. Out of obligation. Out of fear. Out of habit.
But time has a way of waking us up. And as I look ahead, I realize: It is a time to choose.
Do I stay where I must shrink to fit in? Or do I walk away …toward myself?
It’s not about running. It’s about reclaiming.
It’s about saying yes to myself. Maybe for the first time in a long time.
And making room.
For joy.
For peace.
For a life that welcomes all of me. Not one that edits who I am.
Do I wish I’d done this sooner? I do. I wish I could go back and whisper to my younger self: “You’re allowed to choose you.” But life doesn’t offer us redos. What it does offer is today. Now. The beautiful, unfolding present. And the power to begin again.
So as I turn the page into another year, I’m choosing a new chapter. One written in my own handwriting. One defined not by what I’ve endured, but by what I now allow:
Space to breathe.
Freedom to feel.
And permission. Finally. To choose me.
What brings me joy? Where is my peace?
Those are the questions I’m following forward.
And this year, I intend to find out.
“It’s never too late to become who you were meant to be.”
#birthdayreflections #newchapter #choosingme #growthjourney #itsmytime #innerpeace #midlifereflections #joyforward #permissiontochange
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