Psalm 95:2 - Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”

Vincent Van Gogh

            With babies, there is so much to celebrate! So many beautiful firsts, so many fun moments. We can celebrate first steps, first laughs, first words, and so much more. We make even little everyday moments so special because this brand new little life reminds us of all there is to celebrate in our lives!

            Yet it doesn’t stay that way. As we grow older, accomplishments lose their shine. We lose the desire to celebrate. No longer do we throw parties just because we want to. We don’t hold huge-themed birthday parties for all of our friends. We don’t highlight learning, or growing, or anything at all.

            Sure, you might get some accolades for incredible accomplishments at work. Or if you change the world or impact a lot of people, you might get an award or be noticed by lots of people. But we reserve that for specific people- scientists, actors, authors, world changers.

            Yet the beautiful things we do every single day… seem to go unnoticed.

            Now, you might hear your inner voice telling you something right now. Maybe the inner critic is laughing and saying, “Well, just because you made a good dinner or were present with your family and friends does not mean you should celebrate.”

            To that, I say, “Why not??”

            Why can’t we celebrate the little things?

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to leave the world a better place; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

            Research has shown that celebrating even small accomplishments can decrease stress and increase your motivation to finish more extensive projects. Celebrating can also give you more reasons to be grateful and notice the good in your life. And the benefits of gratitude are innumerable!

            This combination of celebration and gratitude can help your health, increase your satisfaction in your work and life, as well as impact the people around you.

            Why wouldn’t we want those things?

            Not only that but we are called to celebrate, to rejoice.

Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice.

            If you want to find more joy in your life, then go ahead and celebrate!

There are so many ways to add celebration into your daily life.

• Give yourself a reward when you have accomplished some work tasks. You could watch one of your favorite shows or enjoy a piece of chocolate.
• Plan ahead for celebration! Buy champagne or sparkling juice, and with a sticky note, write on the bottle what you will open it for. An example might be: “For when I finish writing my book,” or “For when I’ve worked out every day for 100 days.” or anything else!
• Throw a dinner party with your friends. There doesn’t have to be a reason! Just invite friends over and try out a new recipe.
• Write out all the reasons you have to celebrate once a day or once a week! For bonus points, share those reasons on social media or with someone you are close to.
• Make a plan to purchase something you really want, but only after you have accomplished something you need to do. It could be buying a book after you have read some of your TBR or getting new workout gear after you have stuck to your routines for a few weeks.
• Help other people celebrate, too! If you have a friend or family member who accomplished something they really wanted to, throw them a little party or buy them a little treat. Share the celebration!
• Find free or simple things that feel celebratory to you. This could be taking a bath after a day of hard work or setting aside time to be creative when you have had a long week.

I’m sure there are so many more things you could do to celebrate! So, please share them in the comments or send them to us. And let the celebration begin!

Resources:

• This article The Power of Small Wins by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer
• This article The Science of Celebration by Optimum Health Institute