What if birthdays were less about...

GETTING STUFF

Parents are more concerned than ever about raising thoughtful, empathetic, compassionate children. In a materialistic, often harsh world, we want to know we are raising our kids to be kind, caring citizens who consciously consider the needs of others. Introducing a tradition of intentional acts of kindness on birthdays is a wonderful way to empower kids to know they can make a difference, regardless of their age.

Learn More

GETTING DRUNK

At some point, the idea of partying leaves us feeling a bit less than satisfied. Instead of worrying about designated drivers, where to go and who to (or not to) invite, getting together with a group of friends to do something you actually care about is a great way to celebrate life. Bonus: you're guaranteed to wake up feeling good about yourself. And let's face it, the photos are probably going to be a lot less embarrassing!

Learn More

Getting Older

Age is a funny thing. We can't wait to grow up and then spend the rest of our lives trying to stay young. Of course, birthdays are much more than our age. They represent the story of our lives and all the things we've come to care deeply about. When we spend the day not focusing on how old we are but on how much we can still have to offer, celebrating our birthdays become something to look forward to again!

Learn More

...AND MORE ABOUT MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

---

In January, 2010, event planner Robyn Bomar decided to bypass conventional ideas for celebrating her birthday and spend the day focusing on spreading joy and surprises to others instead. Turning 38 years old, she landed on 38 acts of kindness, all carefully planned out in advance. After eliciting the help of her many friends and blog followers to follow suit in her honor, she quickly realized this was more fun, rewarding and meaningful than any other birthday she had ever celebrated. After some prodding from her closest friends, she reluctantly agreed to share the events of the day on her event planning blog, Mix Mingle Glow. The post went viral and the response  was overwhelming, with almost 2,000 inspired comments within days. 
After numerous interviews with television, radio, internet and print media outlets, Robyn formed The Birthday Project. Today, her original post has been shared hundreds of thousands of times, reaching over 45 countries in every continent but Antarctica (we're working on that one!). People of all ages have discovered the joy of celebrating their birthdays with intentional acts of kindness all over the globe. Robyn is currently in the process of writing a book about The Birthday Project and is a speaker and consultant across the country.