Gosh...

it's my birthday tomorrow.

That's got me thinking (shocking, I know). Is everyone as shy as me about telling people that it's their birthday? To me, it seems (rude/attention getting/compliment mongering/immodest/blatant) odd for ME to tell people that it's my birthday. I certainly don't feel that way when others let it be known that it's THEIR birthday.

I have this crazy ideal when it comes to me though.

I can't stand not being GREAT at something ... the FIRST TIME I DO IT. Isn't that nuts? ... but again, not something that I criticize in other people - in fact, quite the opposite. I will spend a lot of time encouraging people big and small to keep trying, that they can't possibly expect perfection the first time.

So what is it? Why do I set impossibly high standards for myself that are, frankly, inhuman?

I think that this birthday year I'm going to try working on that. Try to get to a place where I don't expect perfection from me. I will still do my best, but I will work on not being so hard on myself. That may go a long way toward lowering my stress level and probably the stress of the people around me.

Happy Birthday, Me. Take it easy on yourself!