Birthday Bumps

I have always made a big deal out of my birthday. Likely because my parents always spoiled me as a child on my birthday. I loved being the centre of attention growing up. It’s likely why I was so attracted to the performing arts. It was something that stayed with me for a very long time. When I threw a party, I tried inviting as many of my friends as possible. As the years went by, I tried toning things down when it came to my birthday. I did my best to not make it such a big deal. Luckily for my ego, I have an amazing group of friends and family. Each year they have done something to make me feel special, including this year.

With the current pandemic restricting get togethers, my wife Kayla organized a birthday parade with so many of my friends and family, some travelling quite a distance, simply to stop by for a few minutes and to wish me the best. I was incredibly touched by the gesture, and that so many would make such an effort to celebrate with me, even from at a distance. That honestly would have been enough, but the blessings continued with my friends all gathering (respectfully at a distance for safety purposes) to chat and have a moment of celebration.

There was a number of emotions I was feeling in that moment. Of course I was overcome with happiness. How could I feel anything but gracious and thankful. I was also feeling very humble, and wanted to express that to these wonderful people who I’m very lucky to call my friends and family. Truth be told, despite the fact that I relish the chance to speak in front of crowds, I was nervous. In that moment, I didn’t know what to say. I stood on the front steps of my house and began to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Unfortunately for me, fate had other plans when it came to starting my 36th spin around the sun.

I have terrible balance and two left feet, which means I have often been accused (rightfully so) of being clumsy in the past. I felt myself begin to slip, not when I actually began slipping, but as I was tumbling towards the ground. It was something like out of a movie, where time slows down and you don’t really realize what is happening until it is far beyond your comprehension and control. That’s what it felt like. I saw the ground and braced for impact as I did my best Pete Rose impression, sliding across my front lawn into the row of Styrofoam birthday candles my wife had adorned on our lawn. My arm scraped across the flower box, tearing my skin up and leaving my feeling beyond embarrassed. My pride wounded and my body bruised, I took a moment to reflect upon my situation. A moment that was quickly interrupted by the loud pop of a balloon beneath me.

There was a brief second of shock from the crowd of loved ones, and then waves of laughter. From everyone. All of the people who came to show me love were now laughing at me. Thankfully, nothing was hurt except for my pride. Here is the funny thing though, I realized that everyone was having fun, and I was having fun too! Despite the fact that my body was in pain, in my heart, I was happy. How strange, right? How could I feel happy when I was a laughingstock? The answer is because in that moment I had achieved everything that I strive for when throwing a party. People were having a good time, and in a small way, it was because of me. I accepted that there was nothing I could do about it and made the best of the situation. I even started making jokes! It was humiliating, but only for a second, and it made for an incredible story. It turned out to be an awesome birthday. I got some very funny birthday cards, a few memorable gifts, and most importantly, I learned a powerful lesson.

I realized that when there is something you’re dreading, sometimes the best strategy is to take a leap of faith (in some cases literally) and trust that you will be OK. This is a big step forward for many people in their money mindset. Although part of my job as a financial advisor is to use proven strategies to get the best results, I also know that trusting in those strategies is part of how you get those best results. Stepping into the next stage of your financial journey can be very scary, but you have to believe that at the end of it, you might find yourself on the ground, banged up, bruised, and maybe even a little embarrassed, but you’ll also be surrounded by the gifts you have received along the way and have a greater appreciation for the journey that brought you there.