Celebrating You

AN INVITATION

This week I received an invitation from a good friend of mine. The invitation was to join him in celebrating his birthday. It was not even a milestone birthday. He told me that he was going to have an ice cream truck, a bounce house for the kids, and might even have someone arrive in a hot air balloon on his property. That's amazing. I was overwhelmed by his willingness to do that for himself.

CELEBRATING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

How are you with celebrating yourself? Are you able to tell the world how excited you are about a big accomplishment with a sense of pride?

My book Accept Connect Heal was recently published on Amazon. It was quite an incredible journey getting to this point. Not only was the process of writing this book emotionally exhausting, but the ensuing reaction to it has been quite overwhelming to me. As any author will tell you, it takes a lot to be willing to publish a book. It takes a lot of time, commitment, and courage to be willing to put yourself out there. And, this being my first book it was especially challenging.

Fortunately, I was willing to work through these difficult feelings, and publish my book regardless of the issues that have been coming up for me.

WHY DO WE HAVE TROUBLE CELEBRATING OURSELVES?

Why do some of us have difficulties with celebrating ourselves? I belief there are several reasons:

1. We feel  that people are busy with their own lives. We are sensitive to other people's needs, and don't want to "bother" them with our own needs.

2. We don't want to be seen as grandiose or self-serving. We care about other people, and don't want to be seen as the center of attention.

3. We compare ourselves to other people, and feel like we don't measure up. Therefore, our accomplishments are not worthy of being celebrated.

4. We believe that others might judge us, and deem us to be unworthy. We get concerned about how others feel about us.

5. We are busy helping other people, and don't have the energy or time for ourselves.

If you relate to any (or all) of these traits you may have trouble celebrating yourself.

My experience with the people who read the things I write are extremely compassionate and caring people. My audience tends to include people in the helping professions. I tend to attract those who are interested in celebrating other people. I relate. I love to celebrate other people.

Here is an idea that may be considered radical. It's ok to celebrate you.

Let me write again.

It's ok to celebrate you.

How does that feel in your gut? Do you believe it?

SOME WAYS TO CELEBRATE YOU

Here are some practical ways that you can begin celebrating you:

1. Take some quiet time, and meditate about it. Ask yourself how you can celebrate you. See what comes up for you.

2. Ask a friend for help. Ask them how they celebrate themselves. Pick something that they do, and try it for yourself. See if it feels good to you.

3. Do something for yourself that nobody else will know about. Do it just for you. Make sure that you are the only one who will benefit from it. This needs to be for your self-enjoyment only.

4. Pick another activity that you will share with a close friend or loved one. Ask them to help you celebrate you. It will bring you closer to your friend, because they will get to love on you.

5. Remind yourself that you deserve all of this positive attention.

There are lots of holidays that remind us of the important people in our lives. Make sure you remember to celebrate you. You are worth celebrating too.