When and what was the last reason you celebrated? What made you want to shout for joy and pause for a moment to just be happy?
According to Psychology Today, simply talking about something worth celebrating makes you feel good, improves your memory, makes you calmer and less stressed. Get ready because my 3 principles will help you walk away wanting to celebrate every day of your life!
Principle #1: Life is too short. Enjoy it with the ones you love.
Now clearly I didn’t come up with this one on my own. But I have had more opportunities than I care to have to recognize this truth. After writing one too many obituaries last year, I realized that there is not enough space in a program to capture the essence of loved ones in your life. I believe our task here on earth is to really take the time to remember those we love and care about while they are here. Once they are gone, you’ll likely wish you had more time with them so make quality time a priority and you’ll live with fewer regrets.
Make a point to plan meetups, phone calls, or playdates ahead of time. This makes their availability committed to you and it’s something to look forward to and–get this–celebrate! I am often challenged to do this with my busy schedule as a birth worker, wife, mom, and entrepreneur. Everything can seem like work, work, work, and no play, play, play. I noticed that memories are so simple to create and yet I can overcomplicate things by being a perfectionist. I want the conditions to be perfect before I can indulge in something pleasurable. The truth is that when I choose to wait for a few minutes or so and just celebrate, I end up fueled. Not only to enjoy life but do the work I’m called to do as well.
Principle #2: Be grateful and remember your why.
I know you love yourself and all. But I suspect that part of the reason you do has SOMETHING to do with what others think of or know about you.
What you offer to the world in your relationships with people and how you add to their lives informs your identity to a degree. There have been times that I really struggled to get out of bed. Dreading the mundane and everyday routine of #momlife and the obligations of being the first one up to bat. Basically having to set the tone of the day. Then one day something clicked.
What if instead I thought and felt that my role as a #boymom is really an opportunity that enables me to model motivation and attitude adjustments for my four boys? If I kept having hissy fits and temper tantrums, how was I going to reduce theirs from happening?
I tend to be overly emotional, (SN: totally a Cancer & July baby) and complain at every turn about the smallest matters. How was I going to help them manage their emotions and cut the whining out?
My why? It’s simple: because if I was able to carry my baby then I am capable of caring for them daily. On YOUR best days or worst days, YOU ARE capable. Let’s celebrate that!
Principle #3: Serve a greater purpose than yourself.
One of the best ways to find and fulfill your purpose is to fill your life with ways to serve. What’s got me out of bed and pushing past the 2-3pm mental/coffee break in the day? Knowing that my life on the ground, at home, at work, and at play, is to be done in service to others. With that mindset, you can intentionally apply your energy towards making sure things matter and doing things with excellence.
What are your talents and gifts? How are you doing with serving others intentionally with them? I love connecting people to resources so I do this by networking and building relationships with people. Don’t you love the feeling of doing something significant for a person and when your effort (or effortlessness) is met with appreciation and thankfulness from the recipient? That’s biology at work flooding your body with endorphins as a reward for doing something for someone else. The most rewarding time for service to come is when the person least expects it i.e. after a misunderstanding or tense moment. If you’re able to serve the person at odds with you, you totally can mess with the tension and create a lighter mood for the both of you as you let go and give up a service. That’s a win-win worth celebrating!
Talk to me: When and what was the last reason you celebrated? What made you want to shout for joy and pause for a moment to just be happy? I want to cheer along with you! Share in the comments below.
