Pondering which quote will convey my thoughts about this so-called milestone birthday that’s upon me, I turned – again – to Dr. Seuss. He had a way of capturing the essence of authenticity without falling for pathos.

Today is your day of all days.

Today you are you, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive that is Youer than You.

Even though this wisdom is valid for every day of our lives, it rings especially true on our birthday – a special day when we celebrate coming to this planet and beginning our fun here, also referred to as life. And what’s better way to celebrate our uniqueness than by fully embracing it and being authentic?

Last night I finished reading a very inspiring book “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown, dealing with this topic. In her concluding words Brené brilliantly summarizes the importance of being our Youest:

(…) in this world, choosing authenticity and worthiness is an absolute act of resistance. Choosing to live and love with our whole hearts is an act of defiance. You’re going to confuse, piss off, and terrify lots of people – including yourself. One minute you’ll pray that the transformation stops, and the next minute you’ll pray that it never ends. You’ll also wonder how you can feel so brave and so afraid at the same time. At least that’s how I feel most of the time…brave, afraid, and very, very alive.

On my 40th birthday I wish to always stay true to myself, to be the Youest I can be, no matter what.