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Do you Stop to Celebrate the little things in life ….. or do you just move on?

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Do you stop to celebrate the little things in life or do you just move on? We all tend to celebrate the usual occasions. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas, Easter and other major events are usually celebrated. We may throw a party or go out for a meal with friends or perhaps have a quiet, more intimate celebration.

But what of the smaller day to day achievements or the ones we accomplish just for ourselves. Do we stop to recognise and celebrate their importance?

I have accomplished many things such as careers in nursing and reflexology. I have celebrated these. But I have also accomplished smaller things that I rarely give much thought to. I have sold photos to gardening magazines and was happy at the time but didn’t really stop to recognise what I had done. I have travelled to places that have really challenged me, but I didn’t stop to think that I was doing something brave or extraordinary.

I have tried paragliding and riding on a moped and motorbike. I have gone sailing on a catamaran and camped in the bush where lions roamed. I have raised a son and run a household, volunteered for many mother’s committees and school outings, but rarely have I celebrated these as achievements. They were just things I did because it was part of the roles that I had taken on, or else I was young and fearless and knew no better.

Do you stop to celebrate the little things in life or do you just move on? Why is it that we celebrate only the major events in our life? Is it because we think all the day to day tasks are not important, so that we place less emphasis on them? Or is it because we fear the judgment or criticism of others? If we celebrate too often or too loudly we are considered ‘big headed’ or egotistic. If we always talk about our achievements, we may be considered too loud or ‘full of ourselves.’

Society doesn’t encourage us to be individuals. Society doesn’t encourage us to stand tall. The ‘tall poppy syndrome’ is still present and we fear being its victim. So we stay small, we downplay our successes and we don’t celebrate even the smallest wins.

Well isn’t it time we put a stop to that behaviour? Isn’t it time we stayed true to ourselves and recognised our own worth? We all have talents and gifts and it’s about time that we celebrated them.

I am just as guilty. I have accomplished things, then moved on to the next. But I suddenly realised that I wasn’t recognising all the work and effort that I had put in. So I finally stopped.

I have just published a book. Yes it’s exciting and yes I had a glass of champagne to celebrate. But then I was ready to move on to the next thing, the next book, the next photograph or the next painting I wanted to create. But I suddenly realised what I was doing. So I took some time out to recognise just what a huge achievement this book was. My husband and I are going out for a meal to celebrate and I am inviting family and friends around to do the same.

Celebrating is great for our mental health, but it also enhances our feelings of self worth and self esteem. It keeps us in the present, reduces stress and reminds us of our purpose in life. Celebrating reminds us of all the things in life that matter, the little things that make up our every day existence. They give us an appreciation of all that we have in our lives, the big and the small.

Do you stop to celebrate the little things in life or do you just move on? I hope you stop and recognise every achievement, for all the things we accomplish make us what we are. The big and small, both are equally important.

And isn’t that always worth celebrating!

With warmest wishes,

Judy xxx

Ps. My book, “True Essence: Finding your authentic self without compromise” is out now. You can buy it on my creative website here and purchase a signed copy, or on Amazon.

References: https://www.wellbeingpeople.com/2022/11/23/why-celebrating-is-good-for-you/ Photo by Guille Alvarez on Unsplash 

Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.

Are you Living your true Potential……………if not why?

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potential, achievement, dreams

Are you living your true Potential? If not, why? Does it even matter to you?

Our potential is our ability to make the most of our gifts and knowledge, so that we can build a better future or happier life. That’s not to say that current circumstances aren’t great, but we all have an innate ability to achieve our dreams and vision. Setting goals in life also boosts our health and wellbeing.

Let me explain.

I studied Nursing after leaving school and worked as a nurse for many years. I eventually became tired of never having enough time to spend with my patients and started to look at other career options. I then studied Reflexology, going on to Facial Reflexology some years later. As I had always been interested in complementary therapies, this seemed a natural move for me. I knew deep down that there was more I wanted to do in my life.

Now I am exploring again. Lockdown in Melbourne has presented me with time to re-evaluate where I am headed. I still love my Reflexology and clinic work with clients, but I also have dreams that I can add to this. I have always loved writing and art, so am looking at adding these into my life. I know that I have Potential to do more.

Do you too, have dreams and visions of achieving more or doing something different in your life? If so, what is holding you back? Marianne Williamson said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”

Our subconscious minds are brilliant at talking ourselves out of things. “I’m too busy, too tired, have an illness, can’t afford it, I’m not talented, I can’t sing/draw/dance/paint.” We come up with a myriad of excuses as to why we can’t do something. The reality is that we are holding ourselves back because of our past beliefs and experiences. ‘My parents told me I can’t sing, I’m uncoordinated so I can’t dance, I once did a painting and it was terrible.” We fear failure and we fear success. It often feels safer to do nothing.

Once we acknowledge where these thoughts come from, we can accept them and then decide if we really want to follow that vision and live our true Potential. If deep down the answer is a strong Yes, then do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams. You don’t need to know all the steps. Just take one!

Start writing stories that inspire You. Join a class online. If you want to run a marathon, start by shorter runs then build up. If you want to be healthy, start with increasing your water intake and addressing your diet. Taking that first step and doing something you love, boosts your ‘feel-good’ hormones and decreases your stress levels. An added bonus.

We all have the Potential to do more with our lives. Yes it may feel scary as the unknown often is, but just think of how much more enriching your life will be if you step out of your comfort zone. You never know what you might find out about yourself.

There’s a huge world of opportunities just waiting to be discovered. Are you game? Are you living your true potential and realising your dreams? I hope so!

Take care and let me know how you go. I’m off to buy a paintbrush!

Warmest wishes,

Judy xxx

References: Marianne Williamson “A Return to Love.”

Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.