The Birthday That Changed Everything

Last week, I had the most beautiful birthday I’ve ever had, and not just because I was turning 50 and welcoming in a new decade or because of the celebrations (although they were pretty special).

There was a girls’ getaway filled with belly laughs and slow mornings.

A big night out with cocktails and dancing, the kind where your cheeks hurt from smiling.

A family dinner that felt warm and grounding.

And the biggest surprise of all…My mum and sister flying in from England just to spend the weekend with me, I still can’t believe it (that's a photo of the 3 of us!).

All of that was memorable, magical, even. But it’s not actually what made this birthday my favourite one yet.

This year felt different because I was different.

I had made a quiet promise to myself as I stepped into this new chapter.

To be open.

To receive.

To let myself be loved without shrinking.

To take in every bit of kindness, every hug, every message, every gift, every moment, without brushing it off or making myself smaller.

In the past, I would’ve felt awkward with the attention. I would’ve downplayed the celebration. I would’ve been so busy doing, hosting, planning, controlling that I wouldn’t have actually felt any of it.

But this year, something in me softened. I let myself take it all in, fully.

I received the love.

I received the kindness.

I received the joy.

I received the lessons and the growth of the last decade, the hard parts included.

And for the first time, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by it. I felt… full.

Like my heart had finally caught up to the woman I’ve been quietly becoming all these years.

This birthday wasn’t just a celebration of another year (or decade) gone by, it felt like a threshold moment. A doorway into a new chapter that I’m stepping into with trust, openness, and a lot more softness toward myself.

If I had to explain the difference, it’s this - I didn’t just celebrate this birthday.

I let myself celebrate it.

And that - more than the dinners, the dancing, the surprises, is what made it the best birthday I’ve ever had.

I’m carrying that with me into this next decade, a commitment to receive, to stay open, to let myself be seen, and to choose alignment over expectation.

Here’s to the next chapter - full-hearted, grounded, and wide open.

Mel x