Yesterday, I said goodbye to my 30s, so today I get to say hello to my 40s! So far, so good. And, in case you’re like my husband, yes, all my limbs are working and (as far as I can tell), I still have all my mental faculties.

Honestly, I’m looking forward to the next year and all that it will bring. I can’t say that I felt the same way last year. As I approached 39, I realized that much of my adulthood had consisted of me reacting to my surroundings as informed by the trauma and shame of my childhood and early years. No amount of education or searching for my self-worth in the approval of others would heal those wounds. After chancing upon a podcast entitled 10% Happier while searching for interviews with my favorite peaceful parenting authors, I took a dive. In January 2019, I endeavored to begin a journey of self discovery, learning to meditate, pause, and enlightening myself by reading various books on mindfulness and meditation. See the list at the end of this post for an incomplete list of my 2019 readings.*

That journey will continue into my 40s, 50s, and hopefully beyond. What I’ve found is (1) I am fundamentally flawed; (2) so is everyone else; and (3) we are all worthy of love. Also, breathing is important! Who knew?

So, for me, this is what the first day of 40 looks like:

*The Following is an Incomplete List of my 2019 readings (as I didn’t really track them all!):
1. 10% Happier by Dan Harris
2. Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
3. Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
4. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
5. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön
6.  Rising Strong by Brené Brown
7. The Trauma of Everyday Life by Mark Epstein
8. Bodhisattva Mind: Teachings to Cultivate Courage and Awareness in the Midst of Suffering by Pema Chödrön
9.  Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself by Mark Epstein
10.  Unconditional Confidence: Instructions for Meeting Any Experience with Trust and Courage by Pema Chödrön
11. Say What you Mean by Oren Jay Sofer
12. Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings by Dr. Laura Markham (okay, this was actually the second or third time I’ve read this – an absolute recommend for parents or would-be parents of more than one child)