#035: What about the things waiting to unfold?

My happy birthday, a few of my favorite life lessons, a smorgasbord of creative projects, and more tiny yet precious life moments

Oct 22, 2023

Hey, there! OK to BE is a Sunday newsletter about my adventures in reading, writing stories, creating art, collaborating, and being human. Thank you for reading! :)

I've had a lot of big days in the past weeks, but one that's worth mentioning above all is that I celebrated my birthday. BLESS! Amen for my cute and healthy self and this simple and happy life.

My birthday is just the right amount of deal for me. As usual, I enjoyed simple celebrations with family, friends, and loved ones—face-to-face, long-distance, and messages all included. Anyway, the cakes I had were yummy, which I feel is important to note, especially for people like me whose love language is...well, cake. (Much love to my cakegivers, btw.)

This was the most delicious mango brulee EVER

Being pensive about turning a year older...I guess birthdays can do that to some people, yes? I’m most certainly not immune to it. I thought a lot about myself and my life days before. Then I also thought about everything that was happening around me. And then everything that was happening in the world.

I know I don't have much, if at all, control over things like wars and corruption and injustice but that doesn't stop me from feeling. It's good and healthy to let all sorts of emotions be, and sometimes to let some of them out every now and then. That's one of the great things about getting older, if I may so: self-attunement. I now know what things work or align better for me.

Well, some of them, at least. And that’s why we need more birthdays! (And cakes.)

That said, I want to share with you this list of my favorite messages from myself to myself from the year before. I plan to bring them along to this newly added year of my life. These have helped me tread this fun, chaotic lyf, and so I hope at least one does the same for you.

Be kind to yourself, and to others, even when others aren't.
If you've got nothing good or beneficial to say, it's okay to just listen.
Let the good things and good people come to you. Let them in.
When people show you who they are for the first time and they disappoint you, make a mental note to give them another chance in the future.
Keep trying, keep going, even if you feel like you're the only one who believes in what you do.
Spend happy and meaningful times with your parents and family. You will never regret any of it.
Strive for a healthier you. Always.

Thank you for being a part of my journey and life, reader!

📚 Reading

A couple of books here, as you may have noticed, I’ve had for a looooong time in my Current Reads; one even made a comeback. Good thing some books are timeless. Haha!

📝 Writing

→ More smorgasbord, a poem

→ Mango [working title]

🎨 Creating

→ How to make art on Canva / How to make a zine on Canva - YouTube

→ Zine flip through | OK to BE Lost (#OKtoBEzine Issue 17) - YouTube

→ Zine flip through | OK to BE Seen (#OKtoBEzine Issue 18) - YouTube

🎨 Collaborating

→ a soft landing. is landing softly soon. Dawn, Layla, and each and every one of the poets in this first collection have all just been a gift to work with. So honored to be part of this! I hope you look forward to the launch! Follow @asoftlanding_ph for updates.

🎒 Travelling

That’s all for now! I hope you picked up something fun or useful.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or nice things to say (hehe), type them in the comments section below or reply to the email. You can also always join my Patreon and the OK to BE Discord, revisit the OK to BE Newsletter Archive, and visit my page.

See you in the next one!

☀️ KB

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