Is it time to celebrate?

https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos

 If you're like me, I'm always looking for reasons to celebrate something.  It's not that I lack reasons to celebrate, but I do it as it grounds me, and often that grounding keeps me out of trouble. When we focus on things that bring us joy, then obviously we have more joy in our life.  I am currently going through a tough situation, and let me tell you, if I can't find joy, if I can't find something to celebrate, then I'm not quite sure I would be surviving right now.  

Finding something to celebrate while the world is seemingly falling apart around you is not always a simple task.  Hell, let's call it what it is, a sucky situation.  Finding something to celebrate, even the tiniest of things may be enough from you jumping off the cliff.  Now all this may seem dramatic, but I've known people who when faced with situations, just don't have anything left to fight with.  I'm telling you as sure as I'm sitting here, find the joy, you then find the peace, and with the peace, you can overcome almost anything.  

Bible says that Joy comes in the morning.  Sadly there are many people who live in perpetual night, and there appears to be no escape from the torment they might be experiencing.  If you are waiting for morning to experience that joy, you are putting yourself through something that needn't be.  Once again, find the joy, get the peace.  Easier said than done at times, but in the end do you really have any other choice than to find that joy, and find something to celebrate? 

I get how it seems easier to yell from the cheap seats to do this or do that.  I get that there are times when there just doesn't seem to be any answers, and even harder to figure out what questions to ask.  What I want to encourage you to do today is simply take a step back, and remember when things were easier.  Now some will say they can't remember a time when things were easier.  Ok, let's go with that for a moment.  You can't sit here and tell me that your life was always a mess, but honestly you can't really do that.  Maybe right now things are messed up, but this hasn't been a constant state in your life, and if you tell me different I'm calling BS.  I don't say that to be mean, I'm saying this to get you to look at something.  When you were just a tiny toddler, did you carry with you then all the stuff you are carrying now?  I dare say no, as you really didn't have a care in the world.  You had food, clothes, and a roof over your head.  All you really did as a toddler was eat, pee, and poop.  It wasn't until you got older that you let the cares of this world take you to a place that you were never intended to go.  We as adults pick up the cares of this world, and sadly, many never figure out how to let them go.

It's a simple thing to celebrate the simple things.  Maybe it's knowing that tomorrow morning you get to enjoy that first cup of coffee.  Maybe it's knowing that when you get home you get to see your family, your pets, or just the quietness of an empty, people free home.  It's much easier than you think to find something to celebrate.  You have to crawl, before you walk, before you run.  Logically it is the same thing with celebration.  Celebrate the small things, so you can work yourself up to the big things.  

So why am I pushing celebrations?  Why am I encouraging you to find something small to celebrate.  Things have been rocky for some time for many people, and things might get a bit more crazy over the next few months.  I am bringing all this up to prepare you for something that is coming.  I'm not here to prophesy doom and gloom.  But let's get real, it's doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to see that this world is going through some crazy times.  I'm just trying to prepare you for what is coming, and what is coming could test the patience of JOB!!

How many times have I written that joy begets joy, love begets love, etc, etc, etc? Generally when I repeat myself over, and over again, it's because I'm brining up a point that if taken seriously could keep you from a world of hurt, or in this case a whole bunch of pain.  Celebration is not just for birthdays, or weddings, or even the celebration of life after the passing of a loved one.  Celebration is something that needs to be a part of your day, every day, without exception.  I will tell you that more often than not celebrations take place after the fact, and that is directly opposite of the times they should be taking place.  Face it, if you are surrounded with dire consequences, if you are neck deep in crap, are you really in a position to celebrate?  No, and in fact celebrating during those two types of circumstances is probably the farthest thing from your mind.  We'll celebrate our favorite sports team winning.  We'll celebrate the fact that we lost those ten pounds we have wanted to loose.  We'll even celebrate that the temp has dropped enough that we can sleep with the windows open at night.  Once again this celebration is all after the fact.  Celebration needs to be something that creates a desired response, and not a response to something that has already happened.  Now I'm not saying not to celebrate a win or a victory.  What I'm saying is that in the midst of the storm find something to celebrate.  

In my mind, it's always appropriate to celebrate. Yea I may get some smart ass who is going to challenge me on this.  "How can you celebrate something like a hurricane or tornado?"  Well I don't know, maybe celebrate that you know you have angels all around to protect you.  Maybe celebrate the fact that you are able to prepare for such an event.  Hey try this on for size, celebrate the fact that you have the choice to celebrate.  I get this may sound crazy, but celebrating the little things, will provide you an opportunity to celebrate the really big things.  

Celebrating all things life is the quint essential thing to bring you a good life.  Remember, celebration should be before, and not just after.  Celebration should be an acknowledgment that you are a creator, and the you create with your words, your thoughts, and your feelings.  Celebration should be a daily thing, and the more you celebrate the little things, the sooner you will be able to celebrate the big things.  Face it there are a few things in life that defy explanation, and celebrating before things happen may be one of them, but trust me, better to get ahead of the game verses playing catch-up.  

Let me end with this, and it may be repeating, but repeating is good from time to time. We celebrate birthdays.  We celebrate anniversaries.  We even celebrate a Super Bowl Win.  Try this on for size: celebrate a birthday before the birth.  Celebrate a Wedding Anniversary before the Wedding.  Celebrate your Team even before the big game.  Why?  You are putting creative energy up to the universe, and it is that same creative energy that will come back to you.  After the fact is nothing more then riding the coat tails of something else>  Get out in front of things, and be the creator of all things good.  Celebrate early, celebrate often, but above all else simply celebrate.