It’s August! It’s my birthday month! And I’m excited about it!

I used to dread celebrating my birthday. It always made me sad for a combination of reasons that had nothing to do with getting older. It was supposed to be a fun day, but it was the opposite. During my teen years, there was one year that everyone, including my parents, forgot, and I didn’t tell them. I just pretended it was another day. They were both mortified when they finally remembered. For most of my twenties, my birthday was always a reminder of things I didn’t have: no degree, no husband, no kids, etc.

When I finally met my husband, I started celebrating again. He hosted surprise dinners for me and somehow got my friends and family involved without me knowing. I thought it was super sweet of him, but I never truly let myself enjoy them because I’d made up my mind that birthdays were never good for me. When my 30th birthday came around, I threw myself a pajama party. It was super stressful to plan. I had a great time, except the power went out right in the middle of it. A year after that, I felt the excruciating pains of my first miscarriage on my birthday. So, to not be disappointed, I stopped making a big deal about them. However, in the last few years, I’ve tried to change that. My friends and I had birthdays around the same time, we started a yearly girl’s trip, which was super fun the few years it lasted. Last year, I got a brand-new car on my birthday. That was a pretty big deal for me.

This year is different, though. I’m celebrating the whole month in various ways. Yup, I’m being what I used to call people ‘extra’ for. See, I’ve learned to be intentional about every aspect of my life, and I want to enjoy it. I enjoy being me. I remember a time I couldn’t say. I’m in a good place, and it wasn’t long ago that I could say that either. I’m proud of ‘me; I love me.

So, this year, I’m celebrating myself unapologetically!

My motto this year is that I don’t need permission…. to be who God created me to be.

I also stop treating others better than I treat myself. (I’m still working on that, BTW).

And, I’m doing more of what brings me joy.

Two things that bring me joy:

1. Showing aspiring and new entrepreneurs how to leverage both business and personal credit to create multiple income streams and live a life they don’t need a vacation from. Follow @the_elconsulting for motivation and business tips!

2. Showing women how to turn their inspiring story into a book one line at a time. Follow @ebby_writer for empowerment & story-writing tips!

Lastly, I’m sharing a lesson I’ve learned every day this month.

August 1, Lesson of the Day: Stop treating others better than you treat yourself.

You will give yourself the same grace that you give others. You will no longer break promises you’ve made to yourself. You will love yourself better.

Living in the moment,

Ebby

Don’t forget to follow both IG Pages @ebby_writer & @the-elconsulting for the daily August lesson, freebies, & more!