1. Make a plan

Whether you want to celebrate your birthday or not, be deliberate about what you want. Make a list, check it twice, it's up to you to have a good birthday.

2. Tell everyone about your plan

No one can read your mind. Tell your husband, sisters, mom, aunts, and BFFs what you'd like. Be nice, respectful, and gracious but if you want to go to a dinner with your family and you know you'll be crushed if they don't initiate it, don't wait for them to ask. Initiate it! If you want a birthday present from your husband, tell him you hope to get one. If you want your kids to make you birthday cards and bring you breakfast in bed, tell them. If you don't want anyone to acknowledge your birthday, TELL THEM. 

3. Do something that makes you feel alive #Treatyoself

They only come one time a year. A birthday means you made it one more time around the sun, and that is something to celebrate. Do something that makes you feel alive, appreciated, special, and most importantly, YOU. Fly a kite, go for a sunset run, buy a leather jacket, set a career goal, take your kids to ice cream and let them get whatever they want. Go for a hot date with your husband, get a mini makeover, take the day off of work, take a luxurious bubble bath, or ask for 24 hours free of responsibility. Birthdays are celebrations of life, so do something that makes you feel alive!

What's the best birthday you've ever had? The worst birthday? What do you do to make the day extra special for yourself?