Celebrate Yourself—Authentically

A couple of weeks ago, I did something that used to feel foreign:

I celebrated me—on my birthday.

Historically, birthdays weren’t a big deal for me or for the stoic, self-denying man I once was. (I learned this well from my beautiful, hardworking, and reticent father.)

But life has been teaching me otherwise. I’ve grown. I’ve evolved. I’ve learned to show up for myself—not out of ego, but out of presence.

This year, I told my wife, Sarah:

“Let’s do it differently.”

No grilling.

No stressing.

No disappearing into the background while hosting.

Instead—we brought in a food truck.

Not just any food truck—La Chula, serving comida mexicana auténtica from Watervliet, MI.

Tacos de todo. Burritos. Quesadillas. Salsa. Guacamole.

People stayed. Talked. Laughed. Ate seconds and thirds.

Later that night, a compa and I sat in the shed talking life, motorcycles, and what’s next.

The next morning, I cooked bacon and eggs for those who spent the night or came back to continue the camaraderie.

We ate under the Sunday sky.

And that—that right there—is one of the many meanings of what más means to me:

Self-celebration. Connection. Presence. Comunidad.

But I had to grow into that. I had to stop denying myself joy.

I had to unlearn the script that says, “Show up for everyone else—but not for yourself.”

And you?

Maybe you’ve been stuck in that same script.

Maybe you’ve been waiting for permission to celebrate who you are—authentically, sin pena.

So this is your reminder:

🎉 Celebrate your life.

🌱 Celebrate your roots.

🕊️ Celebrate the quiet joy of being at peace with yourself—and sharing that peace with others.

The gift isn’t just life.

It’s being fully in it—con gusto.

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If this resonates, and you’re ready to show up differently—more rooted, more present, more celebratory of you—let’s connect.

más | myautenticoself.com

For Hispanos Learning to Celebrate Themselves