I turned 31 last week. And thank you for all the lovely, kind birthday wishes that you called/mailed/emailed/Facebooked me with! I feel immensely loved.

My birthday has always been a personal New Year’s of sorts for me. I take time to reflect on the past year and set my intentions for the upcoming trip around the Sun that rules my Fire Sign. The past 5 years have been full of major changes for me. I moved across the country, left a boring job for grad school, I got engaged and married and obtained a Master’s degree, I got an awesome job and then got pregnant and then got laid off. I went to China and Mexico and Canada and India and Nepal. I found my birthmother and her whole family. And…oh yeah… Mark and I gave birth to a business and an internship program and a baby. And we moved 4 times, too.

Whew! That’s a lot of change. Some might say a ridiculous amount. And maybe now, at 31, I’m finally ready to slow down a bit. (Just a bit, mind you.) I feel thankful for all the amazing experiences I’ve had. I am excited for everything to come. But mostly, I’m just ready to feel somewhat more settled in the here-and-now. I became a wife, a social worker, a photographer, and a mother all in the last 4 years. So this year is about sinking in to the present. Savoring each moment. Chewing my food before swallowing. Walking instead of running.

A combination of hard work, crazy dreaming, and circumstance brought me to where I am right now, and I’m ready to enjoy the fruits of my labor. To accept help when I need it. To delegate more and take on less. To make time for what is most important, fully enjoy that time, and stop worrying about the rest of the to-do list.

Hold me accountable, Internets! And have a happy day. Or a sad day, if that is where you are at. Be present for your day. Show up. Breathe deeply. Find *something* that makes you smile. And remember to chew your food. Unless, of course, you are eating ice cream without anything chunky in it.