Happy Groundhog Day! How will you celebrate?

Really. How will you celebrate?

Use anything as an excuse to celebrate, even a groundhog. Celebrations are a bit like a gratitude journal in action. Celebrate today, celebrate your being here today, celebrate something you are pleased about, celebrate your shadow whether you see it or not.
Did I say celebrate your shadow?  Sure did. When the groundhog sees her shadow, it’s a celebration that spring is on it’s way.  Wait, no, it’s the opposite! That doesn’t make sense at all: Sunny day… seeing a shadow… you would think it would be a sign of spring. Well, good for you, Groundhog, for your out-of-the-box thinking.  And that’s okay – my point is about acknowledging the shadow we all have.  And celebrating it, as well as all the wonderful things about you.

The thing about shadows is that our shadow plays it’s most serious havoc when we try to tuck it away. It simmers into something inside that you think is dark and difficult, but honestly, when you actually look at it (pretending it belongs to good friend is a good perspective to see it differently), or play with it, draw it, collage it, paint it, turn it into a poem, or heck, take it paddling – you discover:

1. the part of you that you thought was so …ummm… dark, isn’t.
2. you’ve spent a lot of thought energy tucking it in – it takes less energy to have a look at it, and it frees a whole lot of energy for other things.
3.  it’s a fabulous fuel for creative expression! You might even come to appreciate your shadow; after all, it arrived in your best interest at some time in your life. It just got turned darker as it got buried.
4. If you happen to be practicing the art of non-judgement, exploring your shadow is a good place to see how you are progressing.

More about celebrating: 

cel·e·bra·tion: ˌseləˈbrāSH(ə)n/
noun
noun: celebration; plural noun: celebrations

1.  the action of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion by engaging in enjoyable, typically social, activity

2.  an action that acknowledges something valuable within us, that can otherwise easily go unnoticed.

Okay, yes, I made up the second one, just in case you are off to google ‘celebration.’

One more little celebration tip:  Keep it simple for starts. It’s very common for a client who has been invited to celebrate a success to say “I will plan a vacation in 6 months.”  Great! But, in fact, that big longterm goal won’t do the job of celebrating a success now, when you most need to acknowledge it.  Plus, it adds a new pressure to get something big done!  When I ask if there is something simpler that could be done today, things like these evolve; “have a chocolate sundae,”  “give myself permission to curl up by the fire and read for an hour,” “snowshoe tomorrow,”  “light my favourite candle and be quiet for a moment,”… these are things that are do-able, that feel good.  Just pick something that lifts your spirits or pampers you a bit. That’s enough.

And so, I ask again, how will you celebrate?

(My latest newsletter has some upcoming opportunities to explore celebrating, shadows, imagination, sparks. If you are curious, please click here: http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b5e1f9413f21b5cbe7a1b58e6&id=02dd494774 )