It’s never too late for a Childhood, Healing or Powerful, Positive Change.

Greetings!

Question: How do you celebrate your birthday? I’d love to hear! 

January is my birthday month and I was reflecting how it used to be a huge trigger for me. I’ll share more about it below. 

This year though, I’m happy to celebrate my birthday month by offering a 53% discount on my Confident Communication Course starting Feb 9-March 30. Say what?!? Yea, it’s true and I’m not afraid to reveal my age…Jump on this deal- it’s a one time offer, so sign up now before class fills up and I close it. Do it HERE. 

Growing up in my household, birthdays (and most holidays for that matter) were usually jaded by one parent’s dislike and outright refusal to participate. I can’t tell you how many birthdays and holidays my father just didn’t bother coming home. He’d say “I don’t celebrate.” 

My internal dialogue became “I’m not worthy to celebrate” even though my mother would overcompensate and make everything extra special. Complex family dynamics for sure…I won’t bore you with all the details. After years of therapy and inner child work, I would throw myself birthday parties when I finally felt deserving and Self-Love. 

When I was in Sweden for 3 month last summer/ fall, my dad turned 82. And, guess what? He said “I don’t celebrate” per usual and I decided to re-write that old story!

After digging deeper into my father’s childhood, we began to understand that he was repeating a pattern he experienced as a child himself. His mother (my grandmother) raised 6 children alone after granddad was killed in the war. My dad was 3 at the time and not the youngest…

Dad told us he went to bed hungry many times and birthdays was not something that was even a consideration. Survival was the only thing that mattered. He got misty eyed and sad when reflecting on his tough childhood. And, I felt compassion and understanding. Hurt people hurt people, often unintentional or because they don’t know a different way. How could he give what he didn’t experience himself? He was stuck in his own trauma…It was a huge moment and I’m so grateful we shared the experience. 

My sister and I decided to have a small celebration with his favorite foods and birthday cake. The picture might indicate the joy we all felt! Not only did we celebrate, we healed. Together. (And the cake...it helped :)

I’ll say it again: it’s never too late to have a childhood. It’s never too late to heal. It’s never too late to create Powerful, Positive Change…Cheers!