The Healing Power of Celebration

Deflection is easy, but it leaves us depleted.

If we can never really accept love and celebration from another person, how will we ever fill ourselves up enough to give that love back to others?

Without accepting celebration and love, we stay very surface level in our relationships.

When someone thanks us for something that we put a lot of effort into, we may say..."Oh, it's no problem." Or if someone compliments us for the patience we exuded in reaching a solution, we may quickly retort..."Oh, that? That was all you."

It's uncomfortable to accept thanks, to accept praise, to accept a compliment. It's also okay to be uncomfortable. Discomfort is the very thing that allows us to grow.

Instead of ignoring celebration, feast on it. When someone thanks you for something you did, pause, listen, feel it, acknowledge the impact you had on this person's life, no matter how small.

This is very different from being self-absorbed, it's actually quite the opposite. When we reflect on how we've made a positive impact on someone else's life, it energizes us and inspires us to seek more opportunities to do the same for others. Allowing yourself to accept what's being said to you, especially the positive, is healing and giving.

We’re also able to celebrate ourselves. We can celebrate the things that we do that help us enjoy and make the most of our days. The more we notice and celebrate the positive, the more we’ll exhibit that positive behavior.

The next time you are celebrated or complimented, no matter how silly or small, fully accept the kind words, the praise, the gratitude. Don't deflect, soak it in. Let it heal and energize you knowing that doing so will inspire and allow you to better serve others in the future.