Party day around again? and you are all excited, you feel special and have this high expectation to be treated differently because it’s your birthday.

Why is it that celebrating a birthday usually means going to the bars and getting jacked up? You could celebrate by traveling with family, go to the beach or doing something totally different and adventurous. Even so, that’s not our focus on this article, what then?
Even though we are fun of saying “today is my birthday” a lot of us don’t understand how personal a birthday is, it’s not just a birthday but “your birthday” to understand this spatially, remember that your birthday is someone’s death day, another's wedding day, graduation day, sad day, and all what happens every other day.

In case you undermine the word “birthday” or if you want the phrase, "my birthday", I would like to remind you that the word and or phrase means “the day I was born" (It’s even sad and funny to know some people have actually forgotten that they were born, lol).

Don't be surprised you have not been consciously thinking of your birthday as “the day I was born”. Though it may be in your subconscious. Many see their birthdays just as day when they are a “plus one” and also a day worth celebrating. We use birthday often in the context of celebration more like Christmas or Thanksgiving.

So I share with you my perspective on birthdays which is rather reflective, evaluative, competitive and prospective. Pointing out the things you should do, first, before expecting the “wish blast” on your social media accounts, the high influx of messages, calls, the presents and all the surprise (and or planned) parties. All of which have now become the new definition of birthday. Here we go 4 helpful things to do on your birthday!

1) Reflect

Talking about reflection do we literally recall that we where born on our birthdays? Before setting out to do all the things we now do on birthdays, it’s imperative for us to sit back and remember that we where born and also ask ourselves why were born. You should be like yes I am 25 today but why the heck am I on earth? Seems like a crazy question to ask oneself but this can help you to purpose orient yourself. So on my reflective axiom what I want you to pick is that on your birthday, remember that one, you where born and two, ask yourself why.

2) Evaluate

This is definitely not for a 14 year old teen (though I admit smart and fast thinking kids start thinking like this even earlier) but for a thinking head which has or is starting to have plans. After a reflection and a probable self realization, the next thing is to evaluate yourself! ask yourself questions. What have I been doing? I am 30 what have I been doing since I was 17 or if you like 20! What have I achieved? Or What am I achieving? Have I been useful? What if I was not born? Will there be a vacuum somewhere?

You don’t need to go far, look just around (maybe in your home) and ask what if I was absent? Forget about the fact that you are loved and that just being around is something. Rather think of what you have added or is adding to the life’s of the people around you as a result of your existence. In fact you should evaluate to verify if you have even been a liability instead of an asset, you might not be told but ask yourself!! The self evaluation questions are endless. Even so you should have and idea of what am talking about by now.

Evaluate yourself on your birthday to see if you are really worth celebrating!!!

3) Compete

A lot of people see competition as a bad thing! That is correct in many senses but in another sense competition is really good. Life in itself is not a competition but it’s funny because it’s like a race and you are expected to win!

Compete might not be the best word to use here, but what I mean is you should use other people as references. How? If you are 23 for example, look at positive things people around your age are doing! This will help your evaluation process, this is not a way to rush you or put you in a strive with anyone but a way to motivate yourself. Avoid consoling yourself with rhetorics that make you feel comfortable by not measuring up your success rates with people around you age who are more successful than you! You might not be as lucky as some people but compete! If you find you age mates getting jobs, creating jobs, doing stuff that is improving society and their own lifes then don’t be left out!

Mind you, this competition should be healthy and constructive look at people better than you with primary motive to learn their methods (if they are right) and not to overtake them as we often spend our time doing! Trying to overtake people. If you got the message right this point is about letting you know that there is no time! You are not too young or even young!!

4) Prospect

I like the definition of prospect, which in this context is: The act of looking forward; foresight; and anticipation. Yeah it’s your birthday but do even realize you are getting older? closer to your grave and there’s no time? What are you next plans and anticipations? Where do you want to be at 40, 50, 60 …

Take out time and map your next steps using the results you got from reflecting, evaluating and the compete analysis. Decided on what to anticipate by taking the necessary actions.

If you do all this and still feel like celebrating or going for that party, congratulations! If not turn your (this) birthday into a “Turning point”, a day you made certain important decisions. So that you would actually have something to celebrate or give other’s reason to genuinely celebrate you subsequently. I wrote this on a “random day” and I know people will read this for years to come! If today is your birthday, Happy Birthday! Celebrate!