Are you a good celebrator? When did you last really celebrate and appreciate all the good things in your life?

Sociologists the world over have noted that we humans need to mark significant events. We have all sorts of ceremonies to help us note changes in our lives: weddings, funerals, baptisms, parties, birthdays and so on.

Don’t Wait

But we don’t have to wait for the next big event. Even the smallest of our successes deserve marking, maybe  just rewarding ourselves with coffee with a friend after a tricky piece of work.

Difficult Times

If you are in the middle of a difficult period, know that it will come to an end, and plan for how you will celebrate your coming through. Having something nice to anticipate will help you through it. Just think how much pleasure you can get out of planning your annual holiday, months before it actually happens. The same principle applies.

And if you have just come through a difficult time in your life, pat yourself on the back for getting to the other side and plan a small celebration. It may just involve you, it may involve others – you decide!

Never Too Late!

Think back over the last few months; have you missed any opportunities to celebrate? It’s not too late!  The good thing about celebrations is that you can have them at any time. So, don’t wait for the next family wedding (or funeral) to have a get together. You can organise one now!

Mark Events

Rituals and ceremonies help us mark significant events in our lives, feel kinship and solidarity with others, and cope with changes both personal and professional. Some are common to most cultures, like rituals associated with partnerships, end of life, births and so on. Others are more associated with particular cultures or religions, like the ritual of a thanksgiving dinner.

Change

When I’m working in organisations undergoing change I always urge them to mark in some way the transition from one state to another. It can be quite simple or more elaborate but people need a marker from which to date the change.

Celebrate

In your own life do you mark events? You probably do with changes in status like marriage and so on but when did you last really celebrate the good things in your life? Your successes?

The sad stuff comes at us unbidden and ritual helps us then but don’t forget to mark all the good things in life; maybe celebratory tea and cake with a friend who has come through a bad patch, a party to wish someone well in their new home, perhaps just a beautiful card to someone who has been inspirational or helpful to you.

Take every opportunity to celebrate the good things in life. Party on!