You Really Should Be Celebrating

Photo credit: Lovely Day Pittsburgh 

Celebrating. We sometimes do it way too much - for others. And we certainly don't do it enough - for ourselves. We attend parties and events and happy hours and dinners and celebrations for those around us all the time, but rarely do we take a moment to celebrate ourselves. Hard things happen everyday. We conquer fears and overcome obstacles and hit tiny goals for ourselves all the time, but when was the last time you stopped and rewarded yourself for that? 

It's time.

It's time to stop thinking it's weird. It's time to stop thinking celebrations are strictly for the people that got a new job, hit their goal weight, found a life partner, bought a giant home or are producing a life. Those people do deserve some celebrations, but so do you. You who just conquered her fear of taking a carry-on onto the plane (ahem, me). You who made it through 5 days of working out this week. You who took that business trip by yourself even though you were terrified. You who woke up today when it felt impossible with what you're going through. You who just gave a speech to her superiors. You who just fought for a raise. You who just took her first workout class even though you were terrified. You who survived the day with a toddler who's testing your patience and then some. You who just fought for custody of your children. You. You deserve to celebrate you.

Life is hard. Going through loss of any kind or coping with anxiety, depression, death, divorce, bankruptcy, a breakup, a setback, an injury - it's all hard. Hell, even when conditions are perfect, life is rough. Accomplishing goals and conquering fears is exhilarating after it's done, but the middle part is dicey and not for the faint of heart. Getting up and showing up and doing all the things that you're scared to do - those things deserve a congrats, a pat on the back, a hell yeah, and maybe a little champagne. No, maybe it wasn't perfect. It might've been the messiest day of your life, or the worst yoga class you've taken, or you may have cried before you did the thing - but you did it. Now celebrate. No strings attached.

No strings of sadness - "I wish someone was here to congratulate me". No strings of guilt - "I only lost two pounds". No strings of unworthiness - "it wasn't really that big of an accomplishment." No strings of obligation - "Everyone else does it." None of that. Tell the voices in your head to sit down, to shut up, and to take the day off. Celebrate. Stop and look in the mirror and tell yourself you did a damn good job out there getting your carry-on luggage into the overhead even when you were nervous you'd hit someone with it while loading it on the plane (again - me).

If you need help figuring out what to celebrate, here are some things I have celebrated in the past:

*Boarding a plane with a carry-on

*Flying to Costa Rica by myself to go on a surf retreat when I'd never surfed or left the country alone

*Going to a hot yoga class for the first time

*Going to a 2nd hot yoga class after I left the first class crying

*Flying to Florida alone 2 months after my divorce

*Getting out of bed when I was severely depressed after my divorce

*Defending myself in court when I was treated unfairly

*Standing up to someone that was disrespectful

*Leaving relationships that weren't meant for me

*Choosing to not say the mean thing, even if it was deserved

*Resigning from jobs that compromised my time and health

*Choosing the healthier option when out to eat

*Saying "no" when I felt obligated to say yes

*Doing things by myself when I was scared

*Driving to a new place, even if I got lost along the way

Ways I've celebrated:

*Champagne

*Dance Party with my dog

*Literal "pats on my back" given to me, from me

*New jewelry

*a trip to Marshall's

*a "way to go" speech in my car given to me, from me

*Air high-fives to myself (yeah, I did)

*Naps

*Food (yeah I know - you're not supposed to, but sometimes, a hot fudge sundae is necessary)

*Simply a "toast" with a loved one

*Coffee

*New Book

*New outfit

*Pedicure

*Massage

*guilt-free lazy day

In general - if it's exhausting, tough, and/or causes that knot in your stomach to appear (even if it's a really good thing!), celebrate. You could've felt that fear and turned around and ran the other way. You could've taken the easy way out. You could've found a way to shirk responsibilities, even if it would've been hard to do, but you didn't. You got up today, you boarded a plane by yourself with a carry-on, you didn't get lost, you ate the salad instead of the burger, you worked out, you kept a promise, you showed up to work - you did the thing that was hard to do. You got up and you showed up. And that is something you must celebrate.