You Technically Can Cry On Your Birthday If You Want To, But She’s Sharing Some Helpful Tips If You’re Hoping To Beat The “Birthday Sads” This Year

Chip Chick |

Nov 1, 2023

splitov27 - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

As we get older, it’s not unusual to feel a bit melancholy or sad on your birthday.

When we’re kids, birthdays are some of the most exciting events of the year, whether our own or our friends’ special day.

But once you reach a certain age, something about birthdays might make you sad, and suddenly planning a party and feeling like you have to do something amazing each year becomes dreadful.

Thankfully, one TikTok user devised a clever way to calmly celebrate your birthdays as you get older and beat what she calls ‘the birthday sads.’

Grace James (@justgracejames) has developed a clever formula to help those who get the birthday sads have a “really darn enjoyable day” on their birthday.

Rule number one for Grace’s formula is to take the day off from work. She explains that if you had a wedding or graduation to go to, you’d take off work, so why not treat your birthday just as importantly as you would those events?

“If you are able to take a day just for you, do it,” says Grace.

“And then, once you have the day off of work, you can plan your day around what I call the Five M’s.”

Grace’s Five M’s involve movement, meditation, munchies, music, and mindset.

splitov27 – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

Grace encourages her followers to get in some sort of movement on their birthdays, whether it be a walk around the block or a full-blown trip to the gym.

Whatever movement makes you happy is what you should be doing on your birthday, as it gives you a chance to celebrate your body and how far it’s carried you over the years.

Plus, if you’re feeling down on your birthday, those endorphins from exercise can help you combat those feelings.

Next, Grace says to do something meditative on your birthday.

“A little treat yourself moment, if you will,” says Grace.

“It can be literal meditation, it can be journaling, it can be 15 minutes of stretching yoga.”

The goal of doing something meditative on your birthday is to have the opportunity to center yourself mentally.

To address the munchies, you should treat yourself to a good meal on your birthday. Make a reservation at a restaurant you’ve been dying to try or acquire any meal you love and feel excited about. This will help you partake in something joyful and delicious!

Grace is a big fan of live music, and after seeing a jazz band on her birthday with her friend, she encourages her followers to see some live music on their special days.

“Music is a way for me to feel peace and relaxation and sort of transcend and to feel that joy through someone else,” explains Grace.

If any live music shows are happening in your area on your birthday, see one if you can!

Finally, Grace says you must try your best to have a positive mindset on your birthday. You can follow all these other steps, and they’ll be great, but they won’t be effective if you don’t have a good mindset.

Grace used to believe that her birthday was for everyone else in her life to celebrate and that their happiness on her birthday influenced how happy she’d be. She also used to feel that how her friends and family acted on her birthday reflected how much they loved her.

However, she’s found a way to make a positive shift.

“My birthday is really just a day for me to reflect with gratitude on the life I’ve lived and maybe hear from some of the people who love me most,” she says.

“Ultimately, it’s up to me to feel that joy and gratitude about my life for myself.”

Grace also mentions that our birthdays may never feel as special as they did when we were kids because, for those of us who were lucky enough, we had parents who would do whatever they could to make the day special for us.

Instead of feeling upset about that as an adult, taking the time to “curate” a day doing what makes you happy and grateful and not worrying about everyone else having fun on your birthday or waiting for people to make it fun for you, birthdays will become something to look forward to once again.

Thanks for the awesome tips, Grace!