Today is My Birthday! (Celebration’s on the cards)
I’m currently being celebrated in Crete! (I usually write the Monday Thought on the day it goes out, but I’m writing this email on Sunday 9th, because I don’t actually know what’s happening tomorrow and I don’t want you to miss out).
To be in Crete for the day was my big surprise – and a wonderful one. Theo decided he would take me away, asked me to book some days off either side of the day itself and then went ahead and organised everything (more on that in the PS if you want to know).
My point here and for you this week as a little thought prompt is this:
Do you let yourself be celebrated?
It’s so vital to our human being-ness to be recognised and seen, yet so many dismiss or shun the celebration of us, never mind encouraging the behaviour! I hope that’s not you (you’re missing out if it is, on so many levels). I love celebration, and also being celebrated.
When Theo presented me last week with a surprise trip away to Crete for my birthday, I threw myself into gratitude and receiving at a deep level, and let myself be celebrated that way. It’s a way for you to experience how others see you, and how grateful they are for you being in the world. Here are some ways that it happens – just so you can check whether you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be celebrated:
- Compliments are a form of celebration (and how many times a week do you shrug those off, or at the very least minimise the impact… ‘You love me in this thing?! I got that at a jumble sale for £4’ (So what, I say, you love and they seemingly do too… so why would you not just turn around and say “Yes! I love it too, thank you for noticing and saying so!”
- Client testimonials (or praise form colleagues) are another way that others who experience you can and do celebrate you. It’s one of the core pillars or life blood of your business, yet so few people take the time to ask for those words of wisdom around what you do. Those words or that video could just be the thing that turns someone else on to working with you.
- A third way to let yourself be celebrated is to throw yourself whole-heartedly into your birthday (whatever your age!). Let others share with you how they see you, how grateful they are for you and let them tell you how great they think you are. That involves being a little on the humble side, but it’s so worth it, and it’s a win-win. You get to feel good by hearing what they think of you, and they get to feel good for sharing it.
So there you have it, a call to put more celebration in your week. Because here’s what I know. Most of you just don’t do enough of it. It’s fully nourishing to give people reasons to celebrate you, and you’ll feel really good for it.
Try this: ask 3 people this week what 3 qualities they really love about you. Tell them I made you do it. Let yourself be celebrated, however hard it is. If you want to, share the words with me, so I can help witness you as you are, you wonderful human, you!