My 35th birthday Alone in Okinawa - Japan Diary

Reflecting on this year so far as I blow out my 35th candle alone in Okinawa. Okinawa is often called “the land of the immortals” for its exceptional longevity, but what I found here was more than a lesson in living longer. I found pieces of myself in complete strangers, joy and curiosity. I hadn't felt this sense aliveness in a very long time. Traveling alone is a rare gift for a woman, far from responsibilities and society's expectations of what a woman in her 30s should be. A free bird with big wings nobody can't clip. Time alone to explore the world and myself. Enough space and silence to hear my own thoughts and wonder: "Who do I want to be at this time of my life? What sets my soul on fire now? How will I use my gifts to serve the world? Where is my tribe? And where do I feel at peace?" In Okinawa, I found a slower rhythm. I learnt that any age we can reinvent ourselves, find new meaning life. And even though I don’t usually drink alcohol, I had to try Snake sake for my birthday. Maybe not the longevity secret, but definitely part of the memory. A birthday I’ll never forget.