This birthday - I'm pouring love on myself.
41! She's here! Wouldn't say it'll compare to last years overseas trip with Ben and the kids but my gratitude for life doesn't waiver. Sure, I would be a teeny bit brighter if I wasn't so sick with all the ears and chest infections/virus' but I am here and for the most part I am healthy, so thats a lot to be grateful for.
Normally, I don't spend a lot of time being introspective on who I am and what I have done but I am starting to even amaze myself that even after 41 years of totally grinding it out, that I still have the passion and excitement for life and my work that I do.
It's not common for us to be proud of ourselves, we live in a tall poppy culture that we truly aren't encouraged to be loud in our self hype or self worth.. but fuck it. Maybe this year I have to truly shout it from the rooftops, including my internal one- fucking hell Hilary, well bloody done. This past year you have done so much tough work that no one has seen, you have shown up consistently to the tough chats, the hard situations and to the moments most smart people would run from.
I mentioned the other day on socials that I feel like we are living our lifetimes war. This digital time of women being shredded & the dehumanisation of our culture and watching the genocide of babies in Palestine. Whatever your views, I don't know many people who would say they are thriving.
But to show up regardless and pour love on it and ourselves could be one of the most profound things we can do.
So yeh, this birthday- I'm pouring love on myself.
And I'm gonna start doing that more.
My heart knows in these times when maybe things aren't as awesome as they can be holistically, to pull from the things that are- the Holme Community, the response and impact of Holme Beauty and the opportunity I have as the founder to find ways to give visibility in beauty to those that should know how incredible they are and how they can have fun showing up for themselves.
And then, to not just pour love, kindness and compassion for just others, but for me showing up.
So yay, HBD to me. I'll promise to take 5 and breathe in the love & remind myself, amongst the chaos, that there is so much to be proud of and grateful to be surrounded by.
I'm off to go eat some cake & enjoy watching so many of you enjoy the birthday love I am sending out your way.
My love, Hilary x