Happy Birthday To Me!! Things I’ve Learned This Year

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday…and it was a great one! I took the day to relax, celebrate myself by indulging in a luxe bath, puppy cuddles and enough champagne to keep this champagne addict happy. I jetted off to Toronto also to attend the Armani Beauty Stars party which was an absolute blast. WOW. I love my life!!!

On the way home, I reflected on 2018 which had some really great moments…moments with family and friends that I cherish. This year with its ups and downs have brought me a little clarity that I feel have made me a better person.

Instead of the usual birthday post listing outfit details and party deets, I thought I would share the great things I learned in 2018.

Puppy Therapy

Puppy therapy is an actual thing. Feeling down? Grab the nearest pup, cuddle him, let him cuddle you and watch your heart swell. Amazing.

Speak Your Mind

Don’t like something? SPEAK UP. If you don’t communicate, you can’t make things better. Case in point: my friend and I went through a bit of a rough patch. Her being the big personality that she is, sat me down and wanted to talk about it over dinner. We got it out, we cried, we laughed, we hugged. She is now treating me to a birthday breakfast this Sunday. LOL! (She doesn’t know that yet).

Outfit Details

Blazer – Zara (no longer available) | Dress – Aritzia (no longer available) | Shoes – L’Intervalle | Bag – Louis Vuitton | Earrings – Dynamite | Mani c/o Oxygen Medi Spa Slater Street

The Bucket List

When I turned 40 last December (yep – take care of your skin, people!), I promised to start checking off all the things on my bucket list. There was the superficial, like botoxing away the lines on my forehead and getting rid of the hollows under my eyes with a little filler. Hey – they bugged me and there’s nothing wrong with undertaking a few improvements! 

And then there was the “deep” – talking to a therapist about long standing issues I had been struggling with. That really helped a lot. I got a puppy, I bought the shoes, I went to the events I wanted to go to, I improved my blog’s backend so it functioned better, ya da ya da ya da. I basically started doing all of the things I wanted to do but never got around to. Chanel bag… you’re up next. See ya in 2019!

Saying “No” More

Learning to say “no” more often this year was a lifesaver. I was overextending myself all over the place, and agreeing to do things I didn’t really like or believe in. I stopped that cold turkey. Making more time for me and my family that needed me was SO GOOD. Spending time with people I really wanted to be with also did wonders for the soul. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS.

Being Nice

While attending an event a few months ago, I watched a fellow influencer get all snarky with a member of the wait staff. The server slinked away and her embarrassment at being treated so poorly was palpable. You know what? And I absolutely promise you that this happened: that bitchy influencer’s heel broke off her shoe about five minutes later. Me, being a bit of a jerk myself, laughed heartily at her hobbling around while cursing Christian Louboutin. Those pin-like heels, I tell ya. Karma is a real thing.

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, and being nice is so much easier than being mean. It goes both ways too. If someone is being mean to you, she may be going through some sort of life event that is really stressing her out. Compassion is something the world needs a heavy dose of right now.

Family First

Two keystone members of my family passed away within weeks of each other recently. It was heartbreaking (cancer is a real bitch). I will miss my father-in-law’s funny voicemails, fettucine alfredo, gardening advice and would give anything for one more of his bear hugs.

My Aunt’s smile lit up a room and she was very much the life of the party. Stylish and incredibly beautiful, she introduced me to the wonders of Lancôme, regaled me with stories of growing up with my lovably cranky Dad and her love of the colour orange was amazing. I wish I spent more time with them both….

Their deaths really changed me. It put a lot into perspective. The things I normally worry about seemed so dumb as I watched members of my family in anguish over their passing. 2019 will be very different. Spending more time with my family members will be a top priority.

Pay Attention To Those Not Rooting For You

For years, I worked in a job that I didn’t feel particularly good at. Being surrounded by nurses, doctors and epidemiologists can be intimidating! Then, I founded this little blog of mine and my sense of self-confidence and self-worth soared. I finally felt really good at something, and the simple act of getting my thoughts down and sharing them was cathartic. Then, the opportunities started rolling in and Style Domination turned into a “thing”.

It was at that point when I noticed that some of my friends started acting differently. A couple of them would never ask me how I was doing, or even acknowledge any of my successes. Another started being passive aggressive and sometimes, outright rude about my blogging.

In order to save my own sanity, I cut these people off. Another I keep at arm’s length because I deserve to be happy and proud of what I’ve built and you know what? My life got a whole lot better without these people chirping in my ear about basically “how I should know my place”.

Well, I’m so grateful to see another year and thrilled for all of my blessings. A huge thank you to all of you who take the time to read my blog, leave me thoughtful comments, provide support and encouragement. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!