Happy Birthday to ME!- Six Things I’m Leaving in 26

Every birthday is a blessing and each year we get older and learn new lessons. Today’s post is a reflection of the things I’ve learned as a 26 year old and what I’m leaving behind as I turn 27.

Hello Lovelies!

Today is an extra special day for me because It’s my birthday!!!! I’ve always made a big deal about my birthday and I can recall a much younger Maya feeling like something drastic was supposed to happen to mark me turning a year older. Now, of course, as an adult I realize that getting older brings about more subtle changes that are very important int he grand scheme of things as I grow as a person. Today, I’m giving you all a double whammy: birthday slay with a little bit of life lessons. So let’s get into it…

Six Things I’m Leaving in 26

 

 

1. Second guessing myself- As I’m reflecting on the past year (and more) of my life, I realize that there were too many times that I second guessed myself. I know we tend to rely on that voice in our heads or that gut feeling to keep us from making the wrong decision, but sometimes that voice can hinder you from going after what you want. I’m learning to be more confident in myself and the things that I want. I’m learning that no reward comes without a risk, and I have to be willing to take some risks in order to achieve my goals. I’m now starting to understand the value of calculated risks and how proper planning can help me regain my self confidence and I can assure that little voice in my head that I’ve got this.
2. Putting others before myself- Now this is something I’ve actually been working on for a few years, ever since I had MJ. When you become a mom, you automatically get into the mindset of putting your child’s needs before your own. I think it’s part of that maternal instinct. Prior to becoming a mom, I found myself putting others and what they wanted before me and what I needed. No more of that. I think since I do prioritize what my daughter needs before I do, I’m less willing to do it for other people who I know will be fine getting along themselves. This doesn’t mean I’m rude, a bad friend, or anything like that. But now I know the limits on how far I can stretch myself and I understand that it’s okay to say “no” to someone if I feel like it will take me beyond said limit. I love the people in my life, I’m just making a more conscious effort to prioritize myself, because you can’t pour from an empty cup.
3. Having to be right all the time-The people who have known me for at least 8-10 years will tell you that I love being right. I mean, who doesn’t like to be right, right? Well, I’m realizing now that it’s not that simple. I’m starting to see that having the need to be right means that you aren’t open to possibilities. It means that, if you and a friend have a disagreement you won’t be able to step outside of yourself and see where you may have made a mistake. We’re all human, we’re all right and wrong sometimes and that’s okay. When I let go of my need to be right all the time, it opened me up to see other people’s point of view. It’s been a difficult thing to let go of but I believe it’s allowed me to grow and mature so much in a short period of time.
4. Having vision with no follow through- Show of hands, how many of us are guilty of this?? I think this one ties into #1 because part of the reason I didn’t have any follow through in certain instances is because of second-guessing myself. The other part of it was not having a plan to bring my ideas to fruition. Over the past year I saw a lot of my peers talk about writing down goals on a sheet of paper and leaving it in their wallet, coming back to it months later to find out they actually achieved the goal the wrote down. Others talked about creating a vision board and how the constant, visual reminder of their vision helped them stay focused. I decided to start being proactive and bringing my visions to life. I’ve already started to make progress and it feels so good to not only start something, but see it through to the end.
5. Negative Thinking- The internet made me realize how negative people can be. It also made me realize I don’t want to be one of those people. I’m making a conscious effort to rid myself of negative thoughts. Whether that be negative thoughts directed towards my own life or others’. I have a tendency to think of “worst case scenarios” in an attempt to prepare myself for the bad that can happen in a situation. Now I’m realizing that thinking too much about the bad can lead to self-sabotage or not being prepared for the good and thus not truly appreciating the positive moments.
6. Letting my circumstances define me- Maya Angelou, my namesake, once said “I can be changed by what happens to me but I refuse to be reduced by it.” This quote has never resonated with me as much as it does now. My life has been a whirlwind of change, uncomfortable situations and uncertainty, all within the past few months. In the midst of all these things I keep reminding myself that change happens, life gets uncomfortable and I cannot let an unfortunate situation or two knock me off my square. Sometimes we lose control of our situations because life is unpredictable, but in those moments it’s important not to lose sight of who you are.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten all deep on y’all….let’s talk about this look! I actually planned to wear something I already owned for my birthday festivities. A friend of mine asked me to come to AKIRA with her ad when I went I saw this gorgeous jumpsuit on sale! The color and style both screamed “MAYA!” all I had to do was try it on to make sure the fit was right. To my delight it fit me really well. I paired the jumpsuit with gold accessories, nude pumps and a statement necklace. I finished off the look with this blush trench and a dark lip. I think the dark lipstick added the perfect amount of edge to this overall sleek, demure look. I’ve linked some similar pieces below since my jumpsuit is all sold out!

Let me know in the comments if any of the things I’m letting go of resonate with you!

Until next time,