The last several days my Timehop has replayed messages from years past where I exclaim to the world that what I just had was the best birthday ever — hands down. It’s surprising. The near dormant snark-a-holic in me still rolls her eyes and says, “They can’t ALL have been that great.” But, you know what? My 40th birthday was SO COMPLETELY GREAT. A big part of the greatness is the endless stream of texts, phone calls and social media posts congratulating me on another ride around the sun. They might say “Happy Birthday” but how my brain interprets is “You are neat!” and “I love you so very much!” or whatever is appropriate depending on the author. Then my heart sends that sweet vibration back to their heart so I get to be loved and give love, even if only in a blink. Those hundreds of blinks add up, though, and this year’s digital birthday was so very blinky. Twinkly, even.

The offline birthday was even more delightful. My kids were home in the morning. I counseled a client later that day then had sushi with a dear friend. Another friend gifted me an evening in the Plaza District where I hugged plenty, kissed many and experienced lotsa merriment. I wore a new dress and a traveling tiara. I laughed and laughed and laughed. It was a fucking great birthday.

So here we are at the Monday after the New Year — the real MVP. It’s when the majority of us go back to work and school. It’s when even the stragglers look at that lingering holiday pie in the fridge, sigh, and realize that it’s long past time to consider pie a proper breakfast. Some make resolutions, others make goals. The bristly non-conformists roll their eyes and denounce all of the above but I have to imagine even they clear their throats, straighten their invisible ties and greet the fresh year in their own way.

I’ve made resolutions in years past and they worked. This year I’ve a list of goals to enhance my professional success and keep me who I am in my personal life (but with a whisper of betterment). Sitting here, trying to shift out of the holiday mode and into the solid path of 2016, I know what I want more than anything else. What I want is more of in 2016 is that great, twinkly love. I wanna give it, I wanna get it. Let’s do this new year thing, y’all. <3