5 ways you can honor Carrie Fisher on her birthday

It is with a heavy heart that we wish Carrie Fisher a Happy Birthday today. While we remember the actress on her birthday, here are some sweet ways we can honor her.

Carrie Fisher will always hold a special place in our hearts. She showed us how to be true to ourselves. She inspired us with her talent. She was a champion for mental health awareness, having been open and honest about her own struggles with mental health and addiction.

Carrie Fisher left a mom-shaped hole in our hearts when she passed away in December of 2016. She was a mentor and motivator, and for many fans, felt like a second mom with how sweet and caring she was towards those who adored her.

Since her passing, fans of Carrie Fisher have found several ways to honor her and the legacy she left behind. So, on her birthday, we share some especially unique things you can do that Carrie would be proud of.

Tweet an emoji reaction

Carrie was known for her Twitter account. Whenever she felt the need to share a tweet with the world, she would tweet everything in emoji form. Which meant that we basically had to decode every one of her tweets in order to understand what Carrie meant.

So why not tweet out a Happy Birthday message to Carrie using emojis? It will be the greatest ode to the woman who helped so many of us find confidence in ourselves.

Sip on some soda

Carrie really liked her Coca-Cola. While chatting with Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show in 2016, Carrie admitted she enjoyed about 16 cans of the soft drink a day — but didn’t actually finish them all!

“I don’t drink all of them,” Carrie told Ellen. “I start them, but then it starts to get warm. And then you have to get another one … They have to (have) that sharp, sharp cold taste.”

There is also a scene in Bright Lights, the documentary she did with her mother Debbie Reynolds, where Carrie feared that Debbie would live longer than her. In one scene, Carrie’s on a treadmill trying to drink a Diet Coke even though her trainer for Star Wars kept trying to dump them.

Sure, a crisp, cool soda does sound delicious. Even at conventions, Carrie would have a wine glass filled with soda. So in honor of Carrie, why not sip on some soda out of a wine glass, and say cheers to the actress.

Watch Wishful Drinking on HBO

Wishful Drinking is a humorous autobiography by Carrie, which turned into a one-woman play with a successful Broadway run. A documentary about the stage play is viewable on HBO. The novel and play recount Carrie’s life in Hollywood and several dark elements of her past.

Watch as Carrie speaks about her issues and makes light of her wild childhood and early adulthood. It’s fascinating and drives home the fact that this woman found joy no matter what circumstances she found herself in, or at least could make a good joke about them later.

“If my life wasn’t funny it would just be true, and that is unacceptable,” Carrie said, and that idea was driven home in Wishful Thinking. 

Donate to mental health organizations

Fans of Carrie Fisher are well aware of the struggles she faced with bipolar disorder, as well as how open she was about discussing her condition. Something we’re so thankful for is how Carrie fought to end stigmas surrounding mental health issues.

Donating to mental health organizations today would be a sweet way to pay tribute to her activism. Here are a few suggested organizations where you can make a donation:

National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) is the country’s largest grassroots mental health organization.

Mental Health America is a community-based nonprofit that focuses on addressing the needs of those living with mental illness, as well as promotes the overall mental health of all Americans.

RAD Remedy specializes in helping those who are trans, gender non-conforming, intersex, and queer connect with helpful health care providers.

To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) is a nonprofit movement that aims to help people who struggle with depression, self-injury, addiction, and suicide.

Take care of yourself

The greatest gift Carrie gave to us was the knowledge that we had to take care of ourselves. Whether it was our mental health or with the relationships in our lives, she was candid about her own well-being. Her openness and willingness to be there for her fans teaches us how we can be there for each other and ourselves.

So for Carrie’s birthday, honestly do something for yourself today that makes you happy. Whether it’s taking a break from the internet, treating yourself to something sweet, or watching some of the actress’ best performances in film — do whatever makes you feel good.

Happy birthday, Carrie Fisher. We miss you, and wish you and your loved ones a peaceful day today as they celebrate your legacy.