A first glimpse of myself at 48 years old. No make-up, no shower, didn't brush my teeth, hadn't eaten breakfast. Just a first look at authentically me.

 Someone very dear to me today asked "What does it feel like to have lived almost half a century?" That question gave me pause and as I went to the gym to do a pre-cake workout I had a moment to think about that. 

I'm often asked how I get everything done? Where do I find time? How do I plan my days etc?

What I know so far: Slow down. Focus. And love what you are doing. This has been my mantra for the last few years. Everything below is just an extension of the above little thought.

• We don't stop playing because we grow older, we grow old because we stop playing. No problem there. I have more play in me than most three year olds. Play, Play, Play!
• Create something everyday even if that's just a good  cup of coffee.
• If creating something feels daunting, break it up into three minute increments but create something everyday. It's a life practice.
• No, there will never be enough time. One will never find time. Time is made in the mind. By slowing down and creating my day, my calendar does not and cannot abuse me.
• Living in just this day , in just this moment, has helped me to release fear. Fear lives in the future with all of the "what ifs" but the future is in my mind and not  now. By living my now the scary future takes care of itself and isn't so scary. The best way to predict the future is to create it. Peter Drucker said that and I really have to agree with him there.

I love this poem by Shri Ravishankar Jee:

Sound when stretched is music,

Movement when stretched is dance.

Mind when stretched is meditation.

Life when stretched is celebration.

At about the age of thirty something, I started asking myself the question "Who am I? Why am I here? I've learned that I needed to stop asking myself those questions and just put my life into motion filled with those things I love to do most. So I said to myself " Self, don't ask! Act!" It's the only thing I really have to do in life. Do the thing, anything, anything at all from the heart, the rest will follow. No need to think about being inspired or waiting for that perfect moment or feeling. Inspiration arrives after you start working on the thing you were searching for inspiration about.

The rest of what I've learned through almost half a century of living is that love really does solve it all. I surround myself with family, friends, colleagues, bloggers, and creatives alike who love explicitly and implicitly throughout their lives and share those feelings whole heartedly.

For all of you I am inherently thankful. And that's the last idea I will leave you with. What I am thankful for gets multiplied exponentially. I would not change one thing about my 48 years. I would live every moment again all the good, sad, indifferent, scary, lovely life….but I don't have to because I'm still on this incredible journey ……which starts again each day…….today.

Thank you family and friends for sharing it all with me! You make each day unique and special!

Enough of the reflections ….it's time to party. 

Thank you kids for a lovely brunch complete with gnome plates.

Bonne Fete Nationale de la France!

You see in France my birthday is truly a national holiday. It is Bastille Day in France which resembles our 4th of July. 

I wish all of you a wonderful day. Let us eat cake! Au revoir !