Michelle Obama acknowledged that it's been a "difficult" past year for people all across the country as she thanked everyone for the well wishes on her birthday.
The former first lady, who turned 57 on Sunday, shared a photo of herself, with her natural curly hair and seemingly makeup free on Instagram, marking her birthday with a message of gratitude amid the pandemic and political turmoil.
"Thank you all for the lovely birthday wishes!" she wrote. "I know this past year has been difficult for us all on so many levels, so I just hope you all are taking care of yourselves and finding joy in the smallest moments. Love you all."
Obama previously spoke out on Instagram about the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, chastising President Donald Trump as "infantile and unpatriotic" before criticizing how police responded to the mob compared to their response during this summer's Black Lives Matter protests.
She also spoke in August about dealing with "low-grade depression" during the pandemic, which has now claimed almost 400,000 American lives.
The birthday selfie also marked the latest appearance of her naturally curly hair, which Obama famously showed off on the cover of Essence magazine for its 2018 December/January issue.
She also displayed her natural look in 2019 on the stage at the Superdome in New Orleans for the 25th annual Essence Festival.
Her husband also marked her special day on Sunday, as former President Barack Obama sent his birthday wishes to his wife of 28 years by posting a throwback shot of a young Michelle in a tank top on Instagram.
"Happy birthday to my love, my partner, and my best friend," he wrote. "Every moment with you is a blessing. Love you, Miche."