5 REASONS TO CELEBRATE EVERY DAY

“Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. Love yourself and the world will love you!

~ Amy Lee Mercree

Besides your birthday or anniversary, when was the last time you celebrated yourself? And then, even on your birthday, did you really celebrate yourself? Or did you underplay it and tell everyone, “thank you, but it’s not a big deal?”

I want you to close your eyes and go back to a time in your life, perhaps your childhood, where you were really excited about your birthday or another special occasion that was centered on you!

Take a deep breath and feel that sense of anticipation… feel the building of the excitement! Your birthday is coming and you know there is going to be a fun party, presents and cake!

Do you feel a little giddy?

How about a sense of glee?

Maybe it’s a time when you received an award. Feel the sense of pride. Feel the sense of accomplishment!

Wouldn’t it be nice to feel those emotions on a regular basis again??

I know that we get excited for our kids and friends when their birthdays are coming or when they earn an award. But, I want you to think about how that would feel if you were to get excited and proud on your own behalf! That’s what this blog is all about:

It’s about celebrating on a regular basis!

It’s about celebrating your own accomplishments no matter how big or small.

It’s about celebrating because it’s really good for your Peaceful Living!                     

Why Celebration is so Important for Peaceful Living

“People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active state, an act of expressing reverence or appreciation. To be entertained is a passive state–it is to receive pleasure afforded by an amusing act or a spectacle…. Celebration is a confrontation, giving attention to the transcendent meaning of one’s actions.
 
 
~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

• Celebration Is Active Mindfulness! Many people think of the somewhat passive act of meditation as the primary go-to for mindfulness. But, the practice of mindfulness does not necessarily mean that you are sitting peacefully. Mindfulness is  about being fully in the present moment. Think about a dancer flowing around a stage. She is as much the epitome of mindfulness as a monk sitting in silent meditation. Each person exemplifies being fully engrossed in what they are doing. Celebration falls under the same notion: be fully engrossed in the time, place and emotions of celebrating.

• Celebration Is Happy & Joyful! I was sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room the other day where two women, a mother of two young children and a grandmother, were talking about how they no longer feel joy around December holidays (for more on how to overcome seasonal holiday stress, check out my blog Are The Holidays Stressing You Out? While it’s good to talk about your stress and to find comfort with others, it is not good to feel like the joy has been taken out of something for you. If you learn to stop overwhelming yourself with to do lists, and instead embrace the celebration of the holidays, you will be giving your brain the gift of happy hormones instead of stress hormones. And this works in everyday life too! Give up your busy and embrace celebrating even the little things!

•  Celebrating Even the Little Things Creates a Habit of Joyful, Healthy Living! Those happy hormones I just mentioned – they’re addictive! Once you start practicing things that bring you joy your brain will crave it. That is, your brain will crave the hormones associated with happiness and joy! Isn’t that something you would like your brain to be addicted too? And not just through chocolate? Okay, well chocolate should certainly be a part of some celebrations 😉 But, seriously, just the act of celebrating creates brain addiction to being happy!

P.S. The same is true of the brain and stress hormones. The more you practice stressful thinking, the more your brain becomes addicted to it!

5 Ways to Celebrate Every Day

The more your celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate!
~ Oprah Winfrey

1. Celebrate the Simple Things: Did you lose and then find your car keys this morning? How about did you run on-time this morning? Are you having a good hair day? These are all things you should be giving yourself a high-five over! Celebrating the simple things brings joy throughout your day!

2. Celebrate Your Accomplishments no Matter How Small: This is something I have definitely had to learn to do as an entrepreneur. If I get a blog written, I have to tell myself, “good job!” If I sign a new client, I don’t have a boss who gives me a pat on the back, it’s only me giving myself a thumbs- up. My husband and I have to do the same thing for each other (and ourselves) as parents. We need to celebrate our parenting triumphs, no matter how big or small!What are the big and small things you can celebrate?

3. Celebrate Your Everyday Heroes/ Heroines: This falls in line with gratitude. Be grateful for those people who have influenced your life, but also celebrate how you have allowed them to influence you for good! For example, I am super grateful to the two women I have worked with as business coaches – Sara Clark Williams of Fab Fempreneurs in San Diego and Stacy Oldfield of Minerva Partners in Charleston, SC! Both women have given me incredible guidance in building my business and maintaining focus. But, I am the one who has run with the knowledge!

4. Celebrate Your Favorite Things: This one is sort-of along the lines of Oprah’s Favorite Things, but without the materialistic bent. No offense to Oprah, as she is one of my heroes 🙂 But, with this one, go through your day looking for things already in your life that you just love. For me, it’s my pets. I just LOVE them! We do doggy dances and kitty chases to celebrate the joy they bring to my life. For you it might be your grandmother’s china that she left to you. Or maybe a special card your spouse, child or treasured friend gave you is something to celebrate. Find what is endearing to you and celebrate it!

5. Celebrate Giving: I don’t know where I first heard the sentiment that we should do kind things in secret. It goes something like, “do something nice, but don’t take credit for it.” I understand the point that we don’t want to be boastful or show-offs. But, let me turn this thinking around for you. This is really all about context. If you do something nice, and celebrate the fact that you did it, AND encourage others to do the same, it is not boastful. Take for example, how social media giving campaigns ask you to post about how you just donated to them. This serves as encouragement to others to donate as well. So celebrate your kindnesses, your donations and your giving!

Above all else CELEBRATE BEING HAPPY! It is so easy to find happiness in the little things, the simple things. If you grab each little happy thing and celebrate it you will set yourself up to having happy days, weeks, months and years 🙂

For more on celebration, check out my social media posts!