It's my birthday later this month, and for some reason I always get a touch of the "birthday blues." Add in the loss of my dad earlier this year and I fear my BBlues will be amplified. Any suggestions for how to keep them away, at least partially?

Question

Joy Fowlkes · Answer

Freebies: I’m so sorry for your loss! My birthday is coming up too… and I’ve never heard of the birthday blues, but suddenly everything just clicked into place.

I always buy myself a new outfit. It doesn’t need to be for that day in particular— just something to memorialize my taste and my body’s changing shape each year.

And a dear friend of mine does a little freebie quest. I’m inclined to spend a ton of money and spoil myself so different strokes for different folks!

That said, who doesn’t love a deal? So maybe rope a friend or two into checking off all the birthday gifts?! IHOP pancakes? Sephora samples?!

marichal · Answer

reframe it to a normal day with special touches!: i feel this - and I'm sorry for your loss. i try to treat the day as a normal day, with little glimmers sprinkled in. you don't need to over think anything. a special morning coffee, facetiming a friend, doing a for me activity with no guilt -- a chair massage at the local nail salon, spending extra time fiddling on a boquet w Trader Joe's flowers, a meandering neighborhood walk to admire the trees -- and then a treat for dessert (this year it was a bag of flamin hot cheetos in a fancy bowl :) happy birthday!!