My 28th Birthday Flashback: A Self Care & Healing Celebration Part 1

Throwback to My Birthday: Emptying My Drafts & Catching You Up

My birthday was a few months ago, and honestly, I’m still on a high from it. This year was my first time having a slower, self care focused birthday, and I had a few reasons why. Normally, my birthday is basically a national holiday, I go all out with dinners, clubs, trips, and anything else I can think of. I usually celebrate the entire month of April. But this year, I not only wanted to slow down, I had to.

For one, I was only seven weeks post-op from surgery and still had a lot of restrictions. On top of that, I’ve been evolving as a woman, and my wants and desires are shifting. This was also my first birthday in a while where I wasn’t in a relationship. To be real, I had mixed feelings about turning 28. I’m no longer in my early 20s, and I feel myself stepping into a new phase of life. I’ve been thinking about my future more where I want to go, what I want to build. Your 20s are really about discovery, and I’m learning more about myself every day.

The biggest reason for my slower birthday, though, was spiritual. I was fasting with my church our 40 day fast leading up to Easter. And this year, my birthday just happened to fall right in the middle of it.

At first, I’ll admit, I was a little sad. I thought fasting meant my birthday would be boring. But after talking to my mom, I felt so much better. She reminded me that this season was about healing, not just physically but spiritually. My surgery was a huge part of my year, and even though recovery came with restrictions, it was still worth it. That’s when my mom helped me come up with the idea of a healing, self care birthday.

Even though this birthday looked different, I wanted to keep some traditions. One of my favorites is having dinner with my family and friends, it’s something I do every single year, and I wasn’t about to skip it.

The morning of my birthday, I woke up early to watch the sunrise. I spent time with God, thanking Him for another year. After that, I deep-cleaned my home, because cleaning is one of the ways I show gratitude for my space. Then I sat on my balcony with a cup of coffee and just enjoyed the stillness.

Instead of a spa day, I booked one of my post op massages. I also did a little shopping at the mall, which lifted my mood. My grandparents surprised me with balloons, it was the sweetest thing. Later, my hairstylist came to my house to do my hair, which made me feel pampered and special. I ended the night with dinner surrounded by the people I love most.

Even though I couldn’t drink, I still enjoyed mocktails and plenty of laughs. Normally, after dinner, I’d go out with friends and keep the party going, but this year it felt so good to come home, slip into my PJs, and just be. Once I shifted my perspective, every negative thought I had about this birthday disappeared.

Of course, I vlogged the entire day for you! This is part one of a two-part video series. Next week, I’ll be sharing the healing trip my mom and I took, and everything we did while we were there. But for now, enjoy part one: my self-care birthday vlog.

I say all this to remind you: just because life looks different in a certain season doesn’t mean different is bad. Learn to romanticize both the highs and the lows. It’s okay to grieve what was, but also embrace what is. Every season is temporary. Just because my birthday looked like this in 2025 doesn’t mean next year won’t look completely different. Don’t wait for life to be “perfect” before you celebrate, find the beauty in the season you’re in.