Birthdays have a special place in my heart. They are milestones that serve as a reminder of the incredible journey that I have embarked upon, with countless experiences, lessons, and moments of growth. It is within these reflections that I discover an unwavering gratitude that fills me to the brim. With each passing year, I’ve come to realize that gratitude is not merely a fleeting emotion but a transformative power that enables us to embrace life’s beauty amidst its chaos. It has become my guiding light, leading me toward a deeper appreciation for the world around me and the blessings that fill my existence. So today, as I celebrate the beginning of another year, I want to leave you with 24 reasons to keep that smile on your face. Reminders to keep loving the life right before your eyes. 24 delightful reminders to help you cling to hope, to joy, and the very essence of who you are.

1. Joy is not a finite resource that diminishes with time or circumstance. It is an inherent part of our human experience, waiting to be discovered and cherished. We are allowed to experience and feel joy even amidst the messiest seasons of our lives. Joy, in its purest form, can exist for joy’s sake alone.

2. Becoming looks different for each of us. Growth looks different. You do not have to lose yourself in someone else’s story. Keep going and continue writing your own.

3. You have been through it. The grief. The pain. The fear. They change all the messy bits and look at you still here, still shining. That is something worth celebrating.

4. All of the best things are going to scare you. All the best things are going to shake your steady foundation, but still, all of these best things are worth staying and fighting for. 

5. Inhale presence, bravery, and openness. Perhaps, even though we can not go back and change the past, we can still create a present moment so beautiful that it doesn’t need to be changed.

6. God’s presence in our lives is a place that we can always come to and be accepted and known in a way that transcends ordinary human understanding..

7. You are worthy of living a beautiful life. A life that is soul-nourishing, all-consuming, and fulfilling. The best part about that is that you get to define what that looks like for you—whatever it is that your heart is pulling you towards, may you always have the courage to give it a chance.

8. To be alive is to feel. To feel enormous grief, enormous joy—it is to feel everything—that, I believe, is one of the most remarkable things about the human spirit. Sometimes it feels like too much. You may want to run, hide, and suppress, but I hope you don’t. I hope that you choose to stay.

9. Soul work is worth its weight in gold.

10. Life doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. Owning and embracing the uniqueness of our own stories is how we find fulfilment in the intricate threads that weave together to create the unique tapestry of our existence.

11. Joy on purpose. Let it belong to you, not just when it shows up uninvited. It’s not something that you have to put on hold or to condition with all the other things that you think you have to do to earn it.

12. Your emotions are not a reflection of who you are. Yes, you may feel worried, anxious, and sad at times, but who you really are is an overcomer. Someone who is blessed, redeemed and forgiven. When those feelings are gone, remind them of who God says you are.

13. At times, we may gravitate towards the most pessimistic and confined narratives of our lives. But a genuine friend brings light; they come with fresh perspectives and remind us that there is so, so so much more to that story. May this be a reminder that you don’t have to do life alone.

14. Not everything is meant to be carried through to the next chapter of your life. Give yourself permission to let go of what you need to. You are capable and have the necessary strength to do so.

15. It’s okay to quit things that aren’t making you happy or aren’t good for you, even if they seemed like the right thing for you at one point.

16. We won’t ever be immune to the sting that comes from rejection or the grief that comes from sadness. There’s no perfect place where you can arrive and where the tap of your emotions can be turned off. Go where your emotions want you to go. Soften toward it all. It’s the least that you can do for yourself.

17. Your comfort zone may feel good, but in reality, it’s just a familiar prison. Go on out there. Jump, take those leaps of faith. Life’s most defining moments are sometimes found out there in the wilderness.

18. Trust your instincts. There is an infinite wellspring of wisdom within you that speaks through the language of energy. Listen.

19. You are here. You’re here in this body that carries you. You’re here in the lungs that fill you with breath and in the soft light that wakes you in the morning. You are here in all of the things that you make happen and in the glow that lights up your face when you talk about the things you love. You are here—remember that.

20. Even if we encounter a reality that deviates greatly from our dreams, we can still choose to muster up the faith, audacity, and bravery to perceive it as beautiful rather than flawed.

21. Rest, compassion, community, hope, love, and grace are all resources that we can tap into when it feels. like we’re living on the edge of overwhelm.

22. You can’t miss what’s meant for you. Keep listening to what feels right on that deep instinctual level. Don’t compromise yourself, but keep stretching. You will find your way.

23. What if everything is unfolding in perfect timing, and what if, in this moment, everything is exactly as it is meant to be?

24. When you see something beautiful in the world, may you know that it is a reflection of what is inside of you. when you see something that takes your breath away, may you know as well that the same kind of energy exists within you as well. When you look in awe at the gifts that this world has to give, may you realise and know, too, that you are a gift.