The woman who makes every birthday a project to uplift and help others in need
Ms Chloe Lim challenged the assumption of "self-celebration" of birthdays as part of her university course and has gone on to realise that helping others on one's birthday can be a mental health boon.
Ihave never felt entirely comfortable making my birthday all about myself because I’ve always felt a little awkward at all the unnecessary attention.
After all, it’s just another day of the year, isn’t it?
One year, I decided to make it less about me but more about the people who have supported me – by buying my loved ones a good meal.
I still recall the effort it took to coordinate, but frankly, it’s been about eight years since I arranged that one dinner.
I’m now back to letting everyone else fuss over me on my birthday in early December because it’s just easier not to refuse the attention.
That’s why I’m particularly impressed by Chloe Lim’s effort in putting together an annual birthday initiative for the past 12 years not for family but for complete strangers as a way to mark her birthday.
While the 32-year-old still has quiet celebrations with loved ones, she also uses the day to serve various charities and beneficiaries under a quirky initiative she calls “Happy birthday to me to you.”
A partner at integrated creative agency DSTNCT, Ms Lim spoke to me on a recent Friday afternoon at her office, in a cosy meeting room that resembles a glasshouse.
She explained that the seed for the idea was planted when she was a law student at the Singapore Management University and had to enrol in a compulsory elective on creative thinking.
One of the takeaways from the module was that “questioning assumptions” is a tool to being creative.
She recalled: “I wanted to question the assumption of birthdays being about myself.”
