Guest Post by Christa Graham from Sweet Olivia Celebrations

As a party planner, I get to be a part of big celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. I am truly humbled that my clients invite me to be a part of their lives in that way. And while celebrating those big occasions is important, I believe we should also celebrate life and the people we love in small ways more regularly! These small acts of celebration and love make life more meaningful for both the giver and the receiver. It strengthens your relationships and spreads a bit of magic into the world. And we can all use a bit more magic in our lives, right?

Here are 10 ways that you an celebrate your family, friends, and community around you:

Celebrate your family

Your family sees you at your worst. Whether it’s your kids, siblings, or spouse, they can get the brunt of your stressful days and you don’t even mean for that to happen! I have good news for you, though. Your family is the easiest group of people to show your love to. You live with them, so distance isn’t an issue. Hopefully this can counteract all the daily stressors—for both you and them. Here are my favorite ways to show love and celebrate your family.

• In the middle of the day, text your husband with a song lyric that reminds you of him.
• Surprise your child with their favorite breakfast on a school morning.
• Call a family member you grew up with and remind them of a fun time you had together as children.
• Plan a Family Day of Fun. Stay out all day playing at parks or attending a festival.
• Surprise your sibling or parent at home with their favorite specialty coffee and an hour of conversation.

Celebrate your friends.

You probably know almost as much about your besties as you do your spouse. You know what their favorite songs of the moment are, what movies they want to see, their favorite foods, and their favorite pens. If you live close to your bestie, shower her with small gestures often. If you live far away, save up little items as you find them and send her a monthly care package. Aside from “things”, experiences are so much fun with your bestie, aren’t they? Be intentional about scheduling time with them, even if you just spend an evening watching your favorite chick flick. Here are some more ideas.

• Bring your best friend at work a set of new Sharpies, fun shaped paper clips, or whatever other office supply she is obsessed with!
• Send flowers to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while just to let them know you were thinking about them.
• “Kidnap” them for an impromptu girl’s day. Go to lunch, have a drink, and go window shopping.
• Celebrate your friendship by taking a girl’s trip somewhere fun at the same time of year, every year. Whether it’s a cabin in the mountains or a house on the beach, you’re sure to make memories you’ll both remember forever!

Celebrate your Community.

Members of the community are probably not on the top of your list of people in your life, right? But, hear me out! When I say, “celebrate community”, I simply mean being kind. Be kind to those you come across while going about your day. Smile more. Compliment more. Perform small random acts of kindness as often as you can. Research shows that anyone who witnesses an act of kindness is positively affected by that act. One small gesture to a stranger can send a ripple of positivity through your community! And it makes you feel good, as well. The next time you’re out in your town, consider one of the following.

• Pay for the next customer’s coffee or lunch order in the drive thru. (Yes, even if it’s a more expensive order than yours!)
• Take extra glow sticks or bubbles to a holiday parade and share with the children sitting next to you.
• Organize a neighborhood cookout.
• Every time you meet someone in your community (a cashier, server, etc.) find something nice about the person and compliment them on it.

I hope I’ve inspired you to create a moment of celebration for a loved one—or maybe even a stranger. Now that you have several ideas, you might be wondering where to start! Well, like anything else, start small. Choose one idea to implement right away and plan to build more celebration into your daily life.

 

Our Confident Life Contributor