Celebrate with me?

It's my birthday next week. I'm going to be 35.

Thinking about being that number kind of astounds me. I mean, I don't consider 35 to be "old," yet I can vividly remember a time where this stage of life seemed so far away and foreign. I don't feel like I am as far away from my 20s as I actually am. It's strange, but I feel grateful that I'm at a point of my life where I am happy and where opportunities and experiences still present themselves on a fairly regular basis.

So this year for my birthday I've told my entire family that I don't want them to buy me any presents. I don't want a fancy party, or a dinner, or any kind of costly gesture. I've already told them that I will make my own birthday cake because A) I like baking and B) It will be cheaper and more convenient than a store bought cake.

I'm not trying to be difficult, or come across as some kind of altruistic, unselfish soul (Trust me, I am sometimes difficult, but rarely if ever altruistic and unselfish.) I just want to have a nice day, and I want the people I like/love to have a nice day too. While I like presents, there is nothing I need right now.

So it got me to thinking, while I don't want presents, there actually is something I would like from pretty much anyone who would like to take part in what I'm about to propose...

This year, for my birthday (Monday, April 28th) I would like anyone and everyone who I know, or even who I don't know, to do something nice for themselves and post it on social media, either tagging me or using the hashtag #April28Celebrate

There are two reasons that I want this...

1) I always feel really happy and special on my birthday, and I would like everyone else to feel like that too. So, why not make that happen?! -- Buy yourself an ice cream cone that day, or draw rainbows on the sidewalk with chalk, if it's a nice day outside go for a walk, or take your kid for a Slurpee... Just do something lovely that makes you feel happy.

2) It makes me happy when people post about nice things that make their day a little brighter. (Told you I'm selfish...) But yes, quite literally, I want to see people's tweets, statuses, Instagrams, pictures, etc, of nice things people are doing for themselves or others on April 28th because it will make me happy... It doesn't have to be over the top, in celebration of me, or even anything out of the ordinary. No, I just want my social media timelines to be full of lovely pictures and posts of people who are willing to share a nice part of their day that day because it will make me happy, and I want to be happy on my birthday.

Does that make sense?

I'll be honest, I feel kind of stupid for asking you all to do this; partly because I think many of you will either think I'm weird, or think that I have some kind of weird, ulterior motive (which, I promise I don't) and partly because I am going to feel silly for putting this idea out there, and then having nobody do it...

Oh well, I'm putting the idea out there if anyone is interested and willing to take part.

You can tag me on Twitter with your #April28Celebrate at @ShelleyACook. Or, you can find me on Facebook and tag me there too...

Thanks everyone.

Photo Source: http://holisticshapeupblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/what-is-your-happy-plus-my-5-tips-to-get-happy-now/