Celebrate Yourself

It seems at times that we have all gotten so caught up in there has to be a SPECIAL reason to celebrate. Honestly, I think you can celebrate anything you want to. It should be something special or important to you...but who says it has to be a “special” reason?

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey

So what should we celebrate? Anything we want to! From large or small wins, it is your choice what you can celebrate.

Why are celebrations important?

Celebrations make us feel good, and after all we have been through, we deserve to have something to look forward to. Celebrations lend themselves to positive things. Knowing that we will celebrate something, gives us something to look forward to. We sometimes have to work to not get stuck in the negatives and to be mindful, as well as grateful.

What are some things you can consider celebrating?

Your accomplishments. This can be completing a project at work, finishing a book, or making it through your treatment regimen. Many times, people celebrate when they are done with something. For example, I had 6 chemo treatments, and we celebrated at the end. What I should have done was celebrate everyone that I knocked off the list! Each one was a step closer to battling my cancer, and should have been treated as such.

Accomplishments of those around you that are important to you. Did your child get a good grade or have a good day at school? Celebrate that! Treat them to something small, but special. Think about something that brings them joy that you can celebrate them with.

We can have personal and professional accomplishments that should be celebrated. If you had been in treatment and now you are back working full time again, remind yourself that that is something to celebrate.

Did you move your body today? Some days we know it is difficult to get up and exercise, or just move easily, so when you do, share that accomplishment with a friend. Celebrating does not have to be in the form of giving yourself something but can be a form of sharing what you have achieved. Movement is hard for me on a consistent basis, life gets busy and I tend to deprioritize it. So, when I have a good week and have moved consistently, or had a good long workout, I text a friend! I share in my accomplishment.

How do you treat yourself

Just treat YOURSELF! That can be a cupcake, a special meal, a cup of coffee from your favorite shop, or even a new book, or photograph. It can be big or small, but it should be something that brings you happiness and joy. That can even be making time to call a friend, or sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. Treating yourself can be done in so many different ways.

Remind yourself constantly that you are surviving the difficult things that life has thrown at you so far. That alone deserves to be celebrated each day. Take yourself for a walk, get some fresh air, and remind yourself that you are here, you have made it this far, and you always deserve to be celebrated.