Celebrations seem to be all around us toward the end of school years. Graduations, new chapters, new living arrangements and just general accomplishments. One thing about me is that I LOVE to celebrate.
I love birthdays, especially my own, I love magazine release parties (hint hint) and I love anniversaries of any kind.
This year I turned 21 and it was one of the best celebrations of my life. My actual birthday was a Wednesday, so it was nothing crazy, but I enjoyed some late-night appetizers with my roommates. I felt so loved and appreciated by them in the dim Applebee’s lighting.. That weekend, as a brand new 21-year-old does, I had a lot of fun out on the town.
The funny thing about birthdays though is that we don’t do much to “deserve” celebration. Of course we share joy in making it through another year and the highs and lows that come with it, but it’s not like it was our choice to be born. We didn’t push ourselves.
That’s just it about birthdays. It’s not about accomplishment, it’s about existing.
Of course celebrations are wonderful for achieving an award or beating a new record, but how often do we reward ourselves for literally just being alive (besides once a year)?
Take an inventory of your day. Did you take a soothing shower? Did you eat delicious, rich foods? Did you put on the comfiest socks you own and lay around? Did you get to see your classroom crush?
It goes beyond being grateful. I can appreciate the little things, but often do I relish in them? How can I find more joy than just being thankful. Gratitude is only step one.
Sometimes it means getting a sweet treat or getting a loaded tea. Sometimes it means just taking a moment of awareness to smile to myself. Sometimes it means knowing that what I feel is valuable and sharing it with my roommates. It may seem small to you, but sharing the little stories with friends and family not only increases the celebration, but it teaches you that what YOU have to say is important.
This is your personal invitation and MANDATE to celebrate the seemingly ordinary.
Celebrate when you get an A or when you fail; you’re human. Celebrate when you did a good parking job, celebrate meeting the love of your life or celebrate knowing when it’s time to go.
Not every moment in your life will be happy, but how lucky are we that we get to feel anything at all. How lucky that we get to exist! Today, celebrate the simple act of being alive.