40(+) Writing Prompts For Those With a Birthday

(Though You Can Try Them At Anytime)

Today, October 11, 2024, is the day I turn 40. This is an exciting milestone, and I am ready to celebrate fully with family and friends. I will miss my 30s as they were a great decade, but so much of the best is yet to come.

I was going to dedicate my birthday to offering forty life lessons I have learned along the way(which certainly would be barely scratching the surface). That list will come sometime, I promise. Instead, I realized it would be fun to come up with 40 writing prompts related to celebrating a birthday. Since we all were born on one day of the year or another, each of us can give these a try. Hey, you do not even have to wait until your birthday.

Photo by Angèle Kamp on Unsplash

1. Do you feel like age is just a number or is it a key defining characteristic of one’s identity?
2. How does turning this age make you feel? Do you feel old or young? Do you actually feel your age?
3. On a game show where contestants are celebrating their birthday, you are given a chance to choose between $1,000,000 or the mystery prize behind a curtain. Which do you choose?
4. Would you like to write a letter to yourself from a previous age? What main advice would you share?
5. Is there a certain food or drink that you associate with this age(i.e. many people say older ages are great if you age like fine wine)? Write a reflection about this item and how that describes you.
6. What movie or television show comes to mind when you realize your age? (Maybe Golden Girls or perhaps Joe Dirt). What would you say to the characters if they were to attend your party?
7. How about a letter to your future self? What key insights or main points would you like to make sure the future you remember in five, ten, twenty, or more years? What triumphs would you like to congratulate your future self for making? What major goals and milestones were reached?
8. Are you where you thought you’d be at this point in your life? What things do you wish would have turned out differently?
9. What novels or nonfiction books come to mind when you think of your new age?
10. What books do you hope to read in the coming year?
11. A famous news magazine or podcast has selected you to interview for a series titled “Life Lessons at age ____.” What top five lessons would you offer?
12. You must send your younger self a birthday card(the age is your choice). What short message(under 30 words) will you share?
13. What are some of your favorite and most remarkable birthday memories from childhood? From your adult life?
14. Was there a particular birthday gift you received that you enjoyed or found most meaningful from your childhood? How about adult life?
15. Write a narrative about a birthday you cannot remember particularly well(probably from younger years). How do you fill in the blanks?
16. At this point in your life, are there things you wish you could go back in time and change? How might this impact your life’s path?
17. A fairy comes and delivers a replica of every birthday gift you have ever received. What things are you happy to see again? Are there any gifts you are surprised at or have not remembered at all?
18. Is there anyone in particular you want to commemorate on this special day you turned a certain age? Parents, relatives, spouses, children? What do you want to thank this person for? Write that person a letter(which you may or may not send).
19. Is there anyone you are in strife with (whichever side it is directed) that you would like to reach out to on this special day? Draft a letter of apology, appeal, or testimonial. Of course, you will show discretion when deciding whether or not to send it.
20. What phrase or phrases do you associate with your age? (For instance, as I hit 40 I am close to over the hill yet far from older than dirt).
21. Does your new age bring greater existential or spiritual meaning? Reflect on this.
22. Write a prayer you will say as you enter this new year in your life.
23. Many ages are associated with a certain shape or form to symbolize one’s place on the path of life. What shape do you see symbolizing your age?
24. Think back to the world as it existed at an earlier age. What things have stayed the same? Which things have changed?
25. List some famous people you share your birthday with. What famous people are your role models? Anyone you cannot stand to share a birthday with?
26. Google your birthdate to find historical events that occurred on your special day. How do these events make you feel?
27. What are your top ten goals for the next year?
28. What are ten things you want to avoid in the next year?
29. You have just won one of those classic birthday drawing contests. What is your prize? Will it last you one day or bring you fun the whole year through?
30. A birthday genie springs out of a magic lamp to grant you three birthday wishes. What are they?
31. Your family member or friend has surprised you with an all-expenses paid birthday trip of your choice. Where will you go? Plot the sights and points of interest you will see.
32. List the best foods you would like to treat yourself with for your birthday. Will you make sure to feast on these today or soon?
33. You have been granted the wish to have any famous person, living or deceased, to share a birthday dinner with. Who do you choose and how does it go?
34. Get your rhyming wrists ready and compose a short quatrain or ballad celebrating your special day and new year.
35. What writing goals, by the way, do you have for this new year in your life?
36. What age would you wish to be again? What age would you not want to be?
37. Do you love birthdays or strive to avoid them as much as possible? Would anything change this disposition?
38. Are there any new hobbies you would like to take up as you reach this new age?
39. On your birthday, you are given a challenge to try something you have no desire to do or fear doing. What will you attempt to achieve?
40. What was your greatest memory from the previous year? The greatest lesson learned? The hardest challenge? The greatest triumph?
41. What are some exercises you can do to help you remember that today is the first day of the rest of your life?

Notice that I did an extra one there at the end! I am in a celebratory mood. Remember, I have barely scratched the surface!

I am excited about turning 40 and this new decade in my life. Perhaps I can give one of these writing prompts a try here in the next few days. But first, I’m off to eat another piece of cake and sweets. One of my goals to lose another 20 pounds this year is not off to a good start. But hey, you only turn 40 once!

Photo by NIPYATA! on Unsplash