46: Learning to Love the Detour

Turning 46 came with an unexpected lesson in trusting the plot twists of life.

September 6th was originally supposed to look entirely different: a long-haul flight to the UK for a long-awaited André Rieu concert we had bought tickets for a year ago, before our daughter entering her dorm and university life there. Instead, life handed us a series of surprises that turned our schedule upside down, in the best possible way.

First, my daughter missed an important email for eight days, leaving her student visa stuck in processing. To avoid a no-show status, we decided last Friday to reschedule her flight. Thankfully, since the ticket was booked using KrisFlyer miles, adjusting the plan was a smooth saver.

Just as we were processing the change of plans, nature delivered the ultimate plot twist: Jakarta airport was temporarily closed due to a sudden volcano eruption. Had we stuck to our original departure date, we would have been caught right in the middle of airport chaos and flight cancellations.

So just right on my birthday, God gave me a quiet reminder that everything happens for a reason, even if we don't know what that reason is yet.

Because of the flight delay, I received the sweetest silver lining: spending my actual 46th birthday right at home. I got to blow out candles, share endless laughter, and feast on birthday treats surrounded by my beloved family and besties.

From lunch and billyard with my family, to hang out outdoors with besties by the pool, sauna and jacuzzi while catching up to each other, and soaking in the peaceful evening together up to dinner. It was such a perfect day and so much fun!

A thought shared by Alvi Rajagukguk stuck with me through it all: "It is better to not understand than to not believe." We don't always need to figure out why things detour in the moment. Sometimes we just need to believe that we are being guided exactly where we need to be.

Now, what about that concert coming up in a couple of days? Do you think we’ll make it in time? We'll see how the rest of this journey unfolds. Meanwhile, let me share my deep thoughts for my 46th birthday below...

2026 is the year where I chose myself over and over again, more than anything else except God.

I chose myself to be healthy by:

morning walk around the park with target 5k before 9am
workout in gym min. 30 mins at least 3 times a week
sauna for 15 minutes after gym or swimming
jacuzzi as a reward after all the hard work
eat more protein and fiber, less carbs and sugar
keep sleep quality: get to bed early, less distractions

I chose myself to be happy by:

less controlling, let go control
protect my peace of mind
less thinking anything outside my control
read min. one chapter a day
write min. one page a day
keeping close to God

I chose myself to be wealthy by:

need less, want less, desire less
feel more abundance
feel enough
taking the opportunity but not chasing it blindly
maximizing what I already have
living up to my potentials

I chose myself to be worthy by:

knowing my value is inherent, not something to prove
treating my body and mind like a sacred sanctuary
standing firm in my boundaries without needing to apologize
trusting my intuition and honoring my own word
forgiving my past mistakes and treating myself with grace
choosing what expands me instead of what shrinks me to fit

Because when I choose to honor the vessel God gave me, peace, abundance, and purpose naturally follow.

And if you notice, those are 4 pillars and each has 6 feet, that made it 46!

xoxo, @nuniektirta

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