Celebrating the Little Things

     Many people only want to celebrate the big things – weddings, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, etc. Birthdays and anniversaries only come once a year. Weddings and graduations even less. So how do you celebrate the “ordinary day”? Better yet, do you celebrate the ordinary day? For those who do not know where to start, here are a few ways to get the juices flowing.

     Start a gratitude journal. Write down things you are grateful for. It instantly is a mood booster. Take it a step further. Celebrate it! For example, I am grateful for my friendships. Then celebrate it with meeting for lunch, pedicure time, etc.

     Another way to celebrate the little things is setting a goal and then finding a creative way to celebrate. If you have a goal to lose weight, break it into smaller goals. For instance, you want to lose 30 pounds. When you lose 10 pounds, celebrate by buying a new outfit, go out dancing, do something to celebrate reaching a milestone.

     So find something to celebrate. I challenge you to write down 5 things to celebrate. 

Everyday is a Holiday

Do you need a special occasion or holiday to celebrate? Well you are in luck! There is a holiday for every day of the year! Now, there is no excuse to not celebrate more often. You do not have to wait months for the next holiday. Here’s a look of the holidays you have missed this past week. 

6 Wiggle Your Toes Day
7 National Lighthouse Day
8 Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day 

9 Book Lover's Day
10 Lazy Day
10 National S'mores Day
11 Presidential Joke Day
11 Son and Daughter Day

Did you miss Lazy Day yesterday? Well, if you are a parent, you can celebrate Son and Daughter Day today.

Here are this week’s holidays:
12 Middle Child's Day
13 Left Hander's Day
14 National Creamsicle Day
14/15 V-J Day - which date do you mark the end of WWII?
15 Relaxation Day
16 National Tell a Joke Day
17 National Thriftshop Day
18 Bad Poetry Day

And here are other celebrations for August:


Month:
• Admit You're Happy Month
• Family Fun Month
• National Catfish Month
• National Eye Exam Month
• National Golf Month
• Peach Month
• Romance Awareness Month
• Water Quality Month
• National Picnic Month

Weekly Events:
• Week 1 National Simplify your Life Week
• Week 2 National Smile Week
• Week 3 Friendship Week
• Week 4 Be Kind to Humankind Week

Hopefully, you are able to find something on this list to celebrate. Please share how and what you are celebrating.

Using Birthdays to Help Celebrate Life

Earlier this summer, I turned the BIG four O. In honor of my birthday, I decided to celebrate my life over 40 days. Each day I did something that always wanted to do similar to a bucket list or do things that I have stopped doing for whatever reason. Some of the things I had on the list were:
• Massage
• Mani/Pedi
• Spa Day
• Ziplining

• Skydiving
• Picnic
• Bike riding
• Rock Climbing
• Painting
• Game Night
• Dancing – Pole dancing, bellydancing
• Museums
• Book Club meeting
• Photo shoot
• Meals with friends


Many people loved my idea and created their own versions of it. One of my friends put a twist with it. She is in the midst of celebrating her 40th. Instead of doing or going somewhere, she is having 40 days of “life improvements” activities or actions. Here are her first few days:

Day #1 Pray for friendships to be healed and restored. Why? Simple "We all we got"
Day #2 Do something nice for a co-worker that you don't normally have a relationship with. Why? Simple "Random Kindness"
Day # 3 Tonight, I simply ask that you get adequate rest. In other words go to sleep tonight. Turn off the television, get off face book, turn off twitter, get off the phone and etc. Why? Simple " Your body will Thank you"
Day # 4 Today, I simply ask that we celebrate "LOVE".
Day # 5 Today, I simply ask that we refrain from engaging in "gossip".

I so love what she is doing that I am celebrating right along with her!

What is important to me is just making sure I am living life and not just existing! What are you doing to enjoy your life?