The year 2020 is one for the record books. We all know that.
Clearly, I’m stating the obvious when I say that we are living history right now. While I’m sure we’ll look back at it in 10 or 20 years from now and think “Wow! That was hard, but we made it through.” The reality is, we’ve got to make it through each and every day right now.
And that can be challenging.
Yes, there are LOTS of external reasons to feel overwhelmed, uncertain about the future and discouraged by humanity.
But there are also SO MANY beautiful, life-affirming, joy-filled experiences that people are having.
It’s not an either/or… it’s a both/and.
And that’s why I’m choosing to talk about the value of celebration today. It is life giving—especially in times of strife or struggle.
Yes, the world is messy and complicated and painful right now AND it’s also gorgeous and awe-inspiring and filled with hope.
Celebrations big and small are essential for our health and well-being. They decrease our stress and increase our joy.
We feel happier, more confident, more joyful.
5 Good Reasons to Celebrate
- Celebration invites 100% presence. Be here now. Turn off the news, shut down your social media, don’t worry about the messy kitchen or the piles of paper on your desk. Be fully present and engaged with what’s before you and for a few minutes, simply be fully present.
- It’s good for your health. Celebration helps to release endorphins in the body thereby decreasing stress and increasing joy. We all need a little bit more of that these days. Dance party in your kitchen, anyone?
- Strengthen your connection to Spirit. When you can get to a place of gratitude, of claiming out loud that which you are celebrating, you are sending a message to the Universe saying “Thank you! This is wonderful! And yes, please, I’d love more of this!”
- Create a sacred container to experience your emotions. It gives you permission to feel deeply. It gives you time to slow down, in the busy whirlwind of life, and truly mark a transformational occasion.
- Engage with your community meaningfully. When people gather for a celebration, they show up as witnesses for one another. When you feel disconnected or isolated, gathering in community is a way to rekindle bonds of friendship or family
Ok, so now you know the benefits of celebration.
What should you celebrate, especially right now?
Anything and everything. The little stuff and the big stuff.
Every day celebrations
- A meaningful moment with your child, spouse, pet, co-worker or best friend.
- You got your to-do list complete (for once!).
- Your favorite animal spirit messenger pops by to say hello (I’ve been having hawk visitations regularly for a few weeks now. They are reminding me of the importance of intuitive leadership in the world right now.)
- You enrolled a new client.
- You got interviewed on TV. Check out my recent interview on American Dream TV!
Major life events
- Birthdays – drive by birthday parades, anyone?
- Anniversaries – how about a wine tasting party via Zoom?
- New baby – virtual baby showers are a fun way to connect with people from ALL over, not just in your local community
- Weddings – gotta celebrate love, right?
- Moving – even though the world has slowed down, people are still buying and selling homes. Be sure to properly say good-bye and then hello to your new home and community.
- A new job – if you’re lucky enough to have a new job now, be sure to celebrate that!
- Graduations – loved seeing all of the drive-in movie style graduations for seniors this year
- Sad events– deserve to be honored, too. Death, divorce, loss of job, etc.
Just remember, big or small, celebrations can help friends and loved ones stay connected, bring a spark of joy if you’ve been feeling blue and offer hope for the future both personally and globally. That’s what we all need right now!
If you need help preparing for an upcoming celebration, download my free planning tool.
And if you need help getting inspired by creative connections, read about the creative ways that people have been celebrating and connecting during COVID-19.
Celebrating you,
Elizabeth