I had just finished a project that kept me up day and night for months. After its completion, a friend asked me “What have you done to celebrate?”
Celebrate? The notion hadn’t crossed my mind. I was about to run off to the next project. She helped me realize the importance of celebrating the accomplishment of a project’s end. As I reflected on this, I saw the value in celebrating the everyday and figured we could all benefit from taking a moment to celebrate the little and big achievements in our lives.
I now propose what I call, “The Celebration Project.” How can we actively and consciously take time every day to celebrate?
Here are 5 simple ways to celebrate your every day.
1. Start Your Day as a Celebration.
Celebrate the fact that you are alive. Take a few moments every morning to simply enjoy a few minutes over a cup of coffee or tea and breathe in the aroma, feel the warmth, and enjoy the comfort. Give thanks for the day that is coming your way. When you begin your day with a sense of gratitude and celebration, you are bound to have more joy for the rest of the day.
2. Be Aware of the Micro Achievements
All too often we take ourselves for granted. Just finished writing a challenging e-mail to someone? Take a moment and celebrate that you did it. Did you choose to spend your lunch break taking a walk and getting some exercise? Celebrate yourself for taking care of your body. Did you spend a few extra minutes giving a friend or co-worker a helping hand? Celebrate yourself for giving somebody the time to make their life easier. When we notice the little things in life we did well, it improves our mood and self-esteem. If you find you are taking yourself for granted, start taking notice of all the awesome things you do on a daily basis.
3. Celebrate Others
This tip has a double bonus—when you celebrate someone else, both of you feel awesome! Start taking notice when your partner does little things, like taking out the trash, making the bed, or cleaning up the bathroom. When you celebrate someone else for the little things, they feel valued and will be more inclined to help again. Can you relate? Think about if your partner thanked you for all your hard work on the little things, doesn’t that gratitude make you want to do it all over again? Notice when a co-worker gives you the helping hand, or when a car lets you in during traffic. When you celebrate all the good things others do for you, it helps you appreciate others more and it helps others feel great too. Now that’s a double win.
4. Do Something Out of the Ordinary
Sometimes your celebration will be a moment of acknowledgement, while other times, call for more luxury—such as taking yourself out for a pedicure, a meal with friends, or even a weekend getaway. We may not have the opportunity to celebrate big all the time, but every now and then, it’s healthy to celebrate luxuriously. So go ahead—break open the champagne and celebrate a job well done, a fantastic week, or a huge project accomplished.
5. Celebrate Every Evening
Just as you begin every day in celebration, let’s end the day celebrating and reflecting upon the day that’s passed. Spend a few minutes over a cup of tea, or lying in bed, giving thanks for all the blessings in your day and your life. This will add more richness to your day, warmth in your heart, and bring in more abundance for you to celebrate.
Remember—celebration is an attitude—so will you come on board for The Celebration Project? I’d love to hear from you! How do you celebrate a big accomplishment? And how do you plan to celebrate in the everyday? Report in the comments below, and let’s all inspire each other to celebrate our everyday lives a little more!
