LIFE

If you know that you'll inevitably cry on your birthday, also know that you are not alone. The birthday blues is a common phenomenon that a lot of girlies face, especially as they get older. 

Birthday blues manifest in a variety of ways—from feelings of anxiety the week leading up to your special day to hopes of completely skipping that day, if it were possible. Whether it's worries about growing up or a preference to be out of the spotlight, this sadness may be due to a variety of factors. If your birthday is coming up and you're dreading it, be reassured by the fact that you *can* make it through and maximize your day to whatever you're comfortable with. 

Remind yourself that there are people who care

It's so easy to get caught up and quantify the amount of love you get on your birthday—the number of birthday Stories your friends post for you on social media or the amount of text messages you get can srsly alter the entire mood of your day. But you don't need to feel ashamed or shallow for obsessing over these superficialities—there are more people out there that are doing the same! You're not alone in the way you feel.

Remind yourself of the people in life who you know genuinely love and care for you, whether it's family members, besties, mentors or coaches. Remind yourself by expressing gratitude for what you *do* have and what you have already accomplished in the past year (even if it's little things like learning a new recipe!).

@melissagisoni

Allow yourself to be a little sad for a few moments of your day

If you know you're not gonna be super excited for your birthday, don't force yourself to put up a happy front all the time. Take a moment or two during the day to really allow yourself to feel—your emotions are completely natural and are better off released than suppressed.

Allow yourself to be alone with your emotions, come to terms with how you're feeling and even shed a tear or two. Just be mindful to not let these sad moments dictate your entire day! 

Celebrate however you feel comfortable...and don't feel bad about it 

We know, it's annoying when it seems like everyone around you is excited to throw a big birthday bash for themselves when you simply don't want to do anything for your own birthday. But, we'll let you in on a little secret: there's no rule of how you should celebrate. 

If you find that filling your day with a list of errands and a productive to-do list helps you get your mind off of the fact that it's your birthday, that is totally OK. If you find that treating yourself to birthday freebies while you sit at home and watch your favorite show is how you wanna spend your day, that's OK, too. There is no rule that you need to be in the spotlight when you just need a little time to yourself. Celebrate however you want, and don't feel bad about it!

@sydneyserena

Do you get the birthday blues? Share your stories with us on Threads @girlslifemag!

Need some more advice? Check out these posts:
❤️ How to cope with bad body image days
❤️ How to cope when you're feeling lonely
❤️ How to stop being a people pleaser

by Anne Chen | 8/27/2023