It’s my 41st birthday, so I’ll keep it short, sweet and mostly visual — which is a stretch for me. I’m grateful for the life I have each day, but especially thoughtful about this on the anniversary of the day I was born. I am healthy, have a beautiful family, a home, loving and true friendships, am educated out the wazoo, and get to do work that is meaningful and impacts people’s lives.

I called my parents today because that’s what we do each year on birthday morning: we talk about what they were doing, how big I was (9 lbs.) and how everything changed for them that day. I told my dad I was grateful to him for giving me life, but that I was also grateful to myself for what I’ve created in my life.

For this post, I first thought about compiling a list of 41 things I’ve learned in life or 41 of my personal anthems / theme songs, but maybe some other time. I can sum up much of what I’ve learned so far (41 isn’t midlife if you’re going to live to be 100+, right?) with a Eurythmics video. Seriously.

Actually, it’s not the whole thing — just about 45 seconds into the beginning back story where Annie Lennox is flummoxed after a rift with her boyfriend. She’s sitting at her dressing room table preparing to go on-stage when her partner Dave Stewart, says: “Don’t worry. Just be yourself tonight.”

For whatever reason, that’s what I remember about this song and video from back in 19-aught-85. I’ve grabbed that line and used it as a thought when I’ve gone into new situations — just as a reminder to myself of what I already know for sure. When you’re 41 and you’ve found the freedom of knowing who you are and you’re living it, that’s everything. So yeah, just be yourself tonight. And tomorrow, and so on. I wouldn’t lie to you.