Article
Birthday Power
This past week I celebrated my birthday! It was a day much like every other day – phone calls, emails, reports, meetings, teleconferences, and driving – LOTS of driving. Had it not been for my colleagues who called to sing Happy Birthday; a dear friend who surprised me at lunch with a very thoughtful gift; and an abundance of Facebook, text, and email messages, the significance of the day might have been completely lost on me. Thank you to all of my family, friends, and colleagues for making my day a special one.
"It is lovely, when I forget all birthdays, including my own, to find that somebody remembers me." ~ Ellen Glasgow
Of all the beautiful and thoughtful gifts I received the most memorable gift was the gift of remembrance. It was wonderful to hear from people that I don’t often chat with and to catch up with them in a meaningful way. It was good to know that I mattered.
We all need to know that we matter. During the hustle and bustle of our daily lives it is easy to put off opportunities to connect with the important people in our lives in favour of those necessary activities like work. We are all busy. We are all faced with deadlines and competing priorities. That doesn’t mean that we can’t take a few minutes out of our days to let the special people in our lives know they are important to us, or to smile at a stranger, or to reach out to someone in need. There are many ways to let people they know they matter. Letting someone know you are thinking of them on a day as monumental as their birthday is very powerful.
Birthdays are the perfect opportunity to connect not only with family and friends but with colleagues and acquaintances. A thoughtful birthday greeting can be a great way to break the ice with a casual contact, or to reconnect with someone you have fallen out of touch with. A phone call, an email, an e-card, a text, an old fashioned greeting card, a thoughtful gift, or a coffee date to commemorate a birthday will most definitely be appreciated by the recipient.
“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.'
'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.”~ E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web
Have you started building your birthday calendar? I use Evernote to keep track of special occasions, and various other things, on my smart phone. I also pay close attention to the events link on Facebook so I can be sure to wish my friends a Happy Birthday on their special day. I used to keep track of birthdays and other special occasions in a “birthday book” and I know several people that still hand write birthdays on a wall calendar. It doesn’t take much time at all to check a calendar (in whatever form) and to send a personalized message to the birthday person. Imagine how special they will feel when they receive a personalized message from you.
Being a good birthday greeting sender is just as important as being a good birthday greeting recipient. Be sure to send a note of thanks to each and every person who remembers your special day. It gives you the opportunity to let them know you appreciate them and to ask them about how they are doing and what they are up to, or to congratulate them on a recent achievement, or to share an article or event you think would be of interest to them – while you are thanking them why not take a little extra time to build your relationship with them.
If you would like me to extend a special birthday wish to you on your birthday please send me a quick note letting me know when your birthday is and I will add you to my birthday calendar. You are important and you matter to me! Thank you for being a part of the Career Designs for Life community.
As I begin the journey towards my 40th birthday I am committed to doing 40 small things that make a difference. Stay tuned for updates about my “40 Small Things” project!
Cheers,
For a FREE 30 minute job search consultation please feel free to contact Paula directly at paula@careerdesignsforlife.com or 780.589.2245.
