Is it superficial to think your birthday is important? I don’t think so. The chances of you existing were slim, so why not be pleased about the fact that you won your very first race in life. Why not celebrate and enjoy living? Birthdays are so important - everyone’s birthdays, not just your own. Here’s on why you should care more about birthdays.

Celebrating the day you were born year after year at a surface level may seem repetitive and forced. Really, though, it is a yearly reminder to look at who you are now. Also, they are a great excuse to get together with those that matter the most. Birthdays are so special to me and even if they aren’t technically a holiday, it is for sure a favourite day.

Its funny how some people count down the days to their birthdays and other people dread its arrival. The “young” vs the “old” (I hope it takes me a while before I transition to the dread mindset). The idea of ageing scares us and birthdays can be that reminder, but the reality is, we are constantly getting older. I think this is fun. The older we are, the more we have done and the more we can do. So why do we focus on what has passed when we should be focusing on the now.

Not convinced yet? Well, here are some bite-sized reasons why there should be more of a fuss around birthdays:

1. Birthdays are checkpoints.
   Life is busy and I mean chaotic. Birthdays become that little check-in on what has happened in the past 365 days (brushing aside leap years). Let’s be honest, we hardly have time to look back on the lunch we had last week, let alone think about what has happened in our year. Take birthdays as an opportunity to look back.


2. A time to bring your people together.
   How often can you assemble your gang together? Using a birthday celebration is a great excuse to get all the significant people in your life around you. Those who really love and value you will make the effort to spend time with you and partake in this day. If you are invited to a birthday party, remember that this person must value you and it is only right to show your appreciation back.


3. A once a year “holiday”.
   This day is curated particularly for you (well, it is impossible that you are the only one who has your birthday, but in everyday life let’s ignore this fact 😉). This means you may choose how to spend it. Make the most of it because it only comes once in a year.


4. Birthdays are a personalized celebration.
   Yes, technically everyone has a birthday, but you don’t celebrate a stranger’s birthday, do you? No, you celebrate the birthdays of those who have meaning to you, who bring you joy. Birthdays are never the same because humans are not all the same and that is part of the fun of it. So, make the time to listen to what the birthday boy/girl wants and make the day their own.


5. Builds positive relationships.
   Don’t underestimate how kind people find it when they receive a personalized birthday message – I mean the direct message, not the standardized automated Facebook prompt. Birthday messages make people feel appreciated and cared for. It can go far towards building a positive relationship and shows that you are thinking of them.


6. Appreciation.
   Like the idea behind Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, everyone deserves to be acknowledged for the positive impact they have on other people’s lives. Frequently we forget to let those important to us know this. Birthdays serve as solid encouragement to get us to stop being unmindful and reach out to our friends and family.


7. Milestones.
   We also use birthdays as important milestones in our life, whether its 18 and legal or 21 just for fun (not sure why 21 is so important in Australia still but I am not complaining since my 21st is today).


8. An out of the norm treat.
   Often birthdays mean cake (preferably cheesecake), parties, gifts, and socializing. I don’t know what other combination could make me happier. Having fun, being a little silly, and not being jokingly put down is a welcome change from the everyday.

Ok ok. I sound like a birthday ambassador, but that is probably because I really do believe in their value. If someone you love is about to have their birthday, make the effort to do something particularly nice and personal for them – it goes a long way. Who doesn’t want to feel appreciated?