Monday was my birthday. Some people get weird about turning another year older but for me- it’s never been that way. I love my birthday. I love celebrating what my life has become. I love celebrating the people that have impacted my life. 

I don’t have any negative feelings about turning another year older because I am proud of how intentionally I’ve lived my years. They haven’t been perfect, but those imperfect moments have given me even more clarity and they help me see what I need to live even more intentionally, to focus on the moment, to be impactful, and to make a difference.

Birthdays and anniversaries are a great time to slow down for a moment to reflect. You’ve probably seen over the past weeks that I’ve been really busy with all the tournaments and the EYT events. Sometimes (many times) we really need to slow down. And I’ve been hearing this message in my own life quite loudly lately, the need to slow down for a moment.

When we are rushing around, it’s easy to lose ourselves. When we slow down we have the space and time to look inward and in those moments, we become empowered by acknowledging ourselves. Then we can really see ourselves and say, “okay, these are the experiences that made me who I am today.”

Who we are changes over time. With time, we evolve. So, we need to check in often. Who I was merely one year ago is not exactly the same person I am now. During any given year, we experience a lot. All of the work that I put into myself, the goal setting, the mental game, the tapping into my intuition…all the wins and losses, on or off the lane. Daily life is about managing a social life, family, pandemics, career, sport, finances, health. And all of this impacts us. All of it has shaped who I am today, this year.

So, we need to keep staying in tune with that person, whoever it is.

It really is a good practice to take an inventory and an audit of ourselves, even throughout the year, not just on a birthday. Ask the deeper questions. When you look back on your time, how does the year or month make you feel? What moments make you feel good? And what moments not? Was energy lacking anywhere and how does that make you feel?

When we answer, the most important thing is to be honest with ourselves, 100% of the time, because if we’re not, we’re also not going to grow from whatever we learn. Allow yourself to recognize and acknowledge where you can improve. I think that that’s hard and that’s why many people avoid taking time to reflect. It can be a little uncomfortable if we have to admit things about ourselves, things we notice that might need to change. We need to be completely vulnerable. That’s part of living intentionally. 

Our lives aren’t going to be perfect. We will mess up. We will make mistakes. But all that leads us to who we are and helps us become who we choose to be.

Instead of worrying about any mistakes, we can choose instead to reflect on how those experiences shaped who we are and then move on, asking ourselves, “what’s next for me?”

YOU have control over your life. You can always even start new. That’s the cool thing about it! It is YOURS! You get to make the choices. You control the narrative going forward. No one else gets to define your life for you.

When I reflect, I also ask myself questions like this: What are the MOST important things in my life that make me happy? Am I paying attention to things that have the potential to fill me up? What is sucking the energy out of me? How can I move away from those things?

These questions help me check in with my heart to pay attention to how where I am in that moment makes me feel and I make decisions for going forward based on how I feel and who I want to be, for myself and for those around me.

I’ve often talked about how balance is so important on the lanes. It gives you better leverage. You have more power. You’re stronger. You have more potential. And, with that, comes more success. Balance is so fundamental. And it is as important off the lanes and has all those same benefits in everyday life.

So, as I head into another year, I’ll keep asking the questions that keep me balanced and living intentionally. And while every day may not be perfect, it’s the perfect way forward.

This next year of my life I have set a few goals. 

I’m going to sit on my back deck more. 

I’m going to say yes to me more.

I’m going to read more.

I’m going to take naps and not feel guilty about it.

I’m going to do less but be more.

I’m going to laugh.

And dance.

So. Much. Dancing.