My husband has this saying that he uses frequently: “Every Day is Your Birthday.”

The strangest this about this statement is the reaction it gets from people. Some people smile and agree, others become almost… well, irate, when he says it.

To me, it’s an expression that the person I love uses, so I’ve grown accustomed to it. Frankly, I’ve never thought much about it, one way or the other.

As far as my birthday, that I think about a lot. I consider a birthday to be a personal New Year, and a chance to begin again. Every year I plan and plot so that in August (my birthday) and then again in January, I am ready to launch new aspects of my business or tackle a new goal. It’s also the time that I bring in those things that I would like to add to my life—whether a material possession, or an experience.

Lately though, I’ve been considering my husband’s take on things.

Why do we wait for a holiday to move forward in the direction we want…? Is in, in fact, that we’re waiting for permission to act?

With this in mind, I began to act on my husband’s saying with no regard to the date. If every day is my birthday, then what can I allow to happen today? What can I create? Do? Bring into my life? Release from my life?

Since making this small shift, the results have been astonishing.

I suddenly realized that waiting for a particular date to take action made no sense. In fact, the only right time to start something new is now.

Since adapting this idea of, “Every Day is My Birthday,” I no longer wait for permission to start something new, bring something into my life, or let something go.

In fact, I no longer wait for a date to give me permission at all.

And neither should you.

So? Why not give it a shot? Give yourself permission to celebrate you every day. Go ahead, chase after your hopes and dreams without waiting for a certain date on the calendar.

Live like every day is your birthday. Because it can be.