LATE BLOOMERS BIRTHDAY BLUES: Why some of us cry on our birthday (and what to do about it)
Nov 5, 2025
Birthdays often bring unexpected emotions like pressure and anxiety. Hosts discuss how societal expectations can cast a shadow on what should be a joyful occasion. They share personal stories about childhood memories and how grief can color celebrations. The episode explores the contrast between wanting recognition and feeling overlooked, along with the challenge of embracing aging. Ultimately, it's a conversation about finding healing and gratitude in the chaos—plus a reminder that cake makes everything better!
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Birthdays As Emotional Milestones
- Birthdays act as personal milestones that trigger reflection and social expectations.
- Rox and Rich show birthdays can surface hidden feelings about ageing, achievement, and identity.
No Childhood Parties, Early Marriage
- Rich remembers almost no childhood birthday parties and married the day after his 18th birthday.
- He says early adulthood and fatherhood made birthdays less personally significant.
Grief Turned Birthdays Into Sad Days
- Rox links her earlier dismissal of birthdays to grief after her mother became terminally ill when Rox was 18.
- She describes multiple sad birthday experiences including hospitalisation and feeling disconnected from family.