Birthday 36. Year Four.

Yesterday was my birthday. My 36th birthday. And for those who pointed it out, it was the last birthday of my "mid-30s."

Cue the mid-life freak out?

Um. No.

I'm not one of those people who freaks out about age. I did very little exciting stuff in my youth... Because I grew up in a small town, didn't get drunk for the first time till age 22, had no money in my 20s, worked multiple jobs at the same time even after graduating university, didn't do drugs, didn't travel to awesome locations, paired off with a mate at the age of 23... So the craziness and "living" in youth that disappears once people settle down into their 30s and the "quiet life" begins... Well, I didn't have that.

My adventures didn't begin till I got into my 30s. And they aren't particularly crazy adventures. But I figure if the adventures didn't begin till my 30s... Getting into my 40s should only bring even more awesome adventures. And my 50s and 60s?

That shit is going to be epic!

Anyhow... I'm 36 now. And as I do every year (for the past six years anyway) I review my numerology "personal year." Last year was a Year Three, and I was supposed to focus on:

• This is a year about "love." (My first thought upon reading that is, "Sweet eff-ing hell! No sappy shit!")
• It is about art, creativity and relationships. 
• It is an emotional year... And one where I need to allow my mind to be receptive and led. (Following intuition.)
• It is a year of creating around you the future you want for yourself for the rest of the Nine Year cycle.
• "We become what we love."

In reviewing the past year, I definitely focused on the above... And it was effortless. I absolutely followed my intuition. (Hello! I moved to Boston!) And I was and am still focused on creating the life I want. If we truly "become what we love"... Then I am someone who loves living between two cities. And I guess since I love Boston, after living here at total of 6.5 years of my life, I can now consider myself a "Bostonian."

So what's in store for Year Four?

• Discipline! I am supposed to set up and establish a routine.
• Obstacles! It's a year for breaking through obstacles. Lots of things can pop up and get in the way in a Year Four. But this is a year for accepting these obstacles - which will allow me to overcome them. Any time I feel "stuck"... Those feelings are there to show me what I need to break though.
• Priorities! I have to set new priorities for my life. Long-term ones. Then I have to set a clear vision for achieving them. This is where having an established routine and discipline will help. (The Year Three was all about not having discipline.)
• Accept Reality! Going along with the obstacles... I have to accept reality as it is. Unlike the Year Three, where living in a dream-state was okay, Year Four is where you have to wake up and see things as they are.
• Unlimited Vision. The discipline and order established in my life should open up me up... And allow me to start operating with a larger potential. "No operating within a limited potential..." Which tends to happen after the dreaming of a Year Three.
• Take Out The Trash. It's a year for purging any trivial or useless things. Feelings as well as physical stuff.
• Focus On What Matters. What matters is the freedom to exist how I want, and my intentions. If things are done out of love, then I am doing the right things.
• Health. This is the year to improve my health and diet. Bye-bye sugar and wheat.

Overall, it's a year to get my shit together. While I am a responsible person, I put myself last in the day-to-day scheme of things. Overall, I'm great at pushing things in the direction I want. But if you saw how I operated on a day-to-day basis... It's "fly by the seat of my pants" and "so-and-so needs this... So I'll do that first then think about hitting that yoga class or going to the grocery store to get actual food for me to eat."

It's time to stop thinking of a peanut butter and a class of wine as dinner.

So here's to the last of my mid-30s... To a Year Four... And to disciplining Heather!