Thank you for showing up for a tiny bit of celebration today.
Whether you are feeling buoyant or blue, you are loved. Whether you need a pick-me-up or you have lots of get-up-and-go, you are loved.
No matter how this week has been going, I hope you will pause and appreciate yourself for everything you are and all that you give the world.
Most people underestimate the joy they bring, simply by BEING.
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Today’s tiny moment of celebration is related to theme of my coaching group last night: “What If.”
There is a Shel Silverstein poem that is called “Whatif” and starts out like this:
Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I’m dumb in school?
Whatif they’ve closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there’s poison in my cup?
The poem goes on and on in the same manner — all of the scary “whatifs” that can play in loops inside our heads.
Isn’t it interesting how the phrase, “what if” often gets completed with something that is scary, negative, or anxiety-producing?
In my coaching group, I invited folks to list a few of their own worrisome whatifs.
Then, we practiced something I’ve learned from my mentor, Brendon Burchard. Brendon encourages us to FLIP those whatifs and intentionally find the positive possibilities.
“What if I take that vacation to Manhattan and I get mugged?” becomes “What if I take that vacation to Manhattan and have a wonderful time seeing sights and eating good food?”
“What if I lose my job and have no money?” becomes “What if I lose my job and it leads me down a whole new path that really brings me to life in a new way?”
When we look back on our lives, many of the things we “whatif’d” about actually turned out just fine, didn’t they?
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So, for our Celebration Moment today, you can try turning your own “whatifs” around and see what happens. For me, it helps relieve some of the worry and anxiety.
This isn’t a case of being Pollyanna or of toxic positivity. It is really just about offering ourselves some other alternatives than the fearful (or sometimes terrifying) ones that our Squawky Polly brains offer us.
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Guess what? There is a Part TWO to today’s Celebration Moment.
(Woot woot! Double the fun!)
As part of my “What If” theme last night — because I am a girl who loves a good theme! — I played the half-minute video called “What If” that my dear friend Tricia made for me in the early days of Simply Celebrate.
Afterward, we talked about how “extraordinary” can be something nearly imperceptible. It doesn’t have to be big. It just FEELS big because we are alive to it.
Click and watch the video now. I’ll wait here for you!
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Did you watch it?
Now, ask yourself, “Is there a what-if question I could ask myself right now that might bring a small feeling of extraordinariness to this day?”
What if I saw something beautiful out the window right now? What if I allowed myself to remember a moment when I laughed with a friend? What if I walked barefoot? What if I put my hand on my heart and appreciated something about myself? What if I raised a glass at dinner and toasted to someone or myself? What if I listened to music I love? What if I texted my mom to tell her I love her? What if I texted myself to tell me I love me?!
When we pose a positive “whatif” question, it is kinda like being at the starting line for a race. It makes us READY.
You can have an amazing moment if you pause right outside your door and invite in something surprising and beautiful.
Try it!
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What if I intentionally looked for something to celebrate right in this moment while I am reading this newsletter?
What if a celebration moment could be something I create simply by asking to experience one?
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Remember, celebration doesn’t always have to be a hoopla. Celebration can be peaceful and quiet. It can even be still.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for your heart, your soul, your spirit, your goodness.
I see you.
I appreciate you.
You are loved.
Seek celebration — even in the dark corners,
xo Sherry