Happy Birth-Month!

Hello, dear readers! Happy first day of March! Can you believe how FAST 2025 is flying by? We’ve officially entered month three of the year, and this month holds some personal significance… it’s my birth month! In exactly one week, I will be 27 years old. Seven years into my twenties. Three years before I turn dirty-thirty. And, according to my mother’s metrics, one year before I need to “settle down” with my dating life and get serious with a man. I chuckle at this… 28 is such an arbitrary number. By that age, I should definitely have a stronger sense of what I am looking for in a romantic partner. But to say that I need to have a committed boyfriend who I’m thinking about marrying in one year’s time is… unrealistic. Mom just wants me to be like her. She met my dad when she was my age. But alas, the dating scene has evolved drastically from her day and age, and these days, it’s much, much harder to find “the one”, for a couple key reasons. 

1. Option overload. With the advent of dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble, it’s never been easier to meet people! Whoopee, right? But with a bigger pool of options comes the added responsibility of sifting through the junk to find the gems. Too many options, most of them dead ends, and more frogs you gotta kiss before finding your prince.
2. Hook-up culture. This. I’ve had my fair share of indulgence in hook-ups and casual flings, and I say with utmost confidence that I am OVER that phase of my life and am looking for something real. It’s hard to find real love when most people just want to f*** around, and take to dating apps to do just that. Tinder, I’m talking right at you. Casual sex is normalized in 2025, and interesting tidbit– apparently this trend is not limited to young people. It’s across the board. According to my dance partner, who works as a relationships counselor, the STD rate is going up, and it’s being driven by the older population! Oh, no fear of pregnancy, so I guess we can go raw-dog and no problemo, right? WRONG! According to my therapist dance partner, more and more older people are contracting STDs because of their fallacious reasoning and reckless behavior. Hookup culture permeates America across generations. It’s absolutely repulsive! 

Speaking of hookups… I had a “breakup” last night. A guy I was hooking up with for a couple months. He’s truly a nice guy, but he never wanted to commit, whereas I wanted a relationship. I can’t fault him for lack of honesty– he was nothing but honest with me. I have to fault myself for not being honest with MYSELF, and by proxy, with him. I am so freakin’ busy with work right now, I don’t have time to seriously date anyone. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want a relationship. I told him I was fine with casual, but then it started feeling real… and then the feelings started developing, and then he got spooked, and that marked the end of our sexual relationship. Thankfully, we agreed to part ways as friends, and he assured me that he would always be there for me. He is so sweet. I’m grateful to have met him. He showed me what a truly kind and stand-up guy looks like, and this may just be a case of right person, wrong time. I’m not heartbroken. A little sad, but not gutted. I’m getting stronger with dating. And more discerning. Lesson learned: know what you want. And don’t even get started with anyone who is not aligned with your dating goals. You deserve love, Bel, just like everyone else does! Don’t settle for pennies when you are worthy of gold. 

Some goals for 27:

1. Make six-figures. If my calculations are correct, I will be well on my way to six figs by early 2026. Just gotta keep hustling and working hard and doing what I do best. Teaching fitness and dance. Getting people fit and healthy and happy. I love my work, truly. 
2. Stay sober. This one is a constant battle… but I’m doing a valiant job at kicking my addictions and staying strong and healthy. 
3. Find a boyfriend. I really think this is my year in terms of love. For the first time in my life, I truly love myself! I love the life I’ve built for myself, and I want to find someone to share my joy with. This year has been fruitful thus far and the opportunities for work and abundance just keep flowing my way. Who’s to say that luck won’t spill over into my dating life? I need to put myself out there and make myself available to date, despite my crazy busy work schedule. Balance is the name of the game. 
4. Write more. Even just 30 minutes in the morning before work. I want to publish at least one of my three books this year. I’ll start with the poetry anthology. Memoir is more of a long term project, but I’ll keep chipping away at that one, little by little.
5. Yoga yoga yoga! I try to do at least one hot yoga a day, but that’s sometimes unrealistic (i.e. when I have to teach 7 hours of fitness classes in a single day… gotta reserve all my energy for work.) But I swear, guys, yoga is the only reason I am sane, at this moment. Sane, happy, and thriving. That, and swimming. And lots of exercise and strong friendships. I will continue taking yoga classes, especially on days I feel stressed. 
6. Build more girl friendships. I’ve always dreamt of having a strong band of women with whom I could stand in solidarity. We women gotta have each other’s backs! I have 2 female friends with whom I am close. The rest of my friends are men, because I grew up around men and am a bit of a tomboy myself, so I naturally gravitate towards what feels familiar. But there is something special about having female friends who you can share your life with… Galentine’s Day, for instance! Or what if I get married one day and want a group of gals as my bridesmaids? Who will I turn to?
7. Take my teaching online. This is my business. Online courses in everything I’m certified in. Yoga, dance, pilates, barre, personal training, etc. If I can launch my course(s) by end of the year, I’ll be happy. 

So those are my main goals for age 27… most of all, I want to stay stable and sane and healthy. I’m a leader in the wellness industry, so I must walk the walk and practice the lessons I teach to my clients. I am living my best life, and I can’t wait to make more beautiful memories with beautiful souls. Thank you all, for reading! Talk to you guys soon!