When last did you celebrate yourself?

It was on a Sunday afternoon, while applying my makeup for a one-year-old’s birthday party, that I realized I hadn’t been to a kid’s birthday party in over 13 years. My girlfriend had invited me out for her goddaughter's birthday.

As I stepped into the living room, I was greeted by a sea of colorful balloons and giggling toddlers. The room echoed with their laughter, a symphony of innocence and joy. I mean those little jobless humans are cute but hats off to their parents, they are the real MVP here. and to my fellow Gen Z baddies who say they never want kids; I totally get it!

But as I watched the children play, something shifted within me. They darted around like fireflies – their energy boundless, their laughter contagious. They didn’t worry about tomorrow or yesterday; they lived in the present moment. Their uninhibited enthusiasm reminded me of life’s simple pleasures – jumping in puddles, chasing butterflies, and spinning until dizziness took over.

The children squished the cake between their fingers, smearing frosting on their cheeks and any surface they could find. They reveled in the experience. And that’s when it hit me – we adults often forget to celebrate ourselves.

As you read this, I want you to reflect on:

How often do you celebrate yourself? and this doesn’t apply to you celebrating your wedding day, new job, promotion, or college graduation. When last did you celebrate yourself for simply existing and not just when you hit a major milestone?

It’s easy to live on autopilot – just following the routine you set for yourself and getting caught up in responsibilities, deadlines, and societal expectations. But what if we took a cue from these little revelers? What if we celebrated our quirks? Because life isn’t just about milestones; it’s about those little moments that make our hearts skip a beat while navigating this wild ride called life.

 Below is my lil off-the-top list of simple ways to celebrate yourself:

 1.     Dance in front of a mirror, unapologetically.

2.     Have a cheat code day. Do anything you want, eat anything you want, live how you want.

3.     Draw yourself a bath.

4.     Order your favorite flavor of Pizza and drink wine.

5.     Create an epic playlist.

6.     Get a plant.

7.     Put your phone on DND and take a good nap.

8.     Sprinkle a few drops of your favorite scent in the living room diffuser.

9.     Fight for the window seat of the airplane

My message to you?

Treat yourself once in a while. Reward yourself! Pat yourself on the back, you deserve it. This life is hard enough already. You’ll never regret romanticizing your life, take the smallest moments and make them into something beautiful.

Now, I’m off to celebrate myself for finishing this beautiful piece. Winks*