Celebrate what you want to see more of

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.”

I read this quote recently about celebration. Celebration is an interesting concept. I think that it can take many forms – a party, a gathering, a letter, an event, a public speech, etc. To me, the interesting notion is what is at the core of our celebration. What is coming with our celebration?

I believe true celebration is, at its core, an exposition of thankfulness (i.e. an act of thanksgiving). Whether explicitly stated through speech, or implicitly stated through celebratory actions or environment, I believe that true celebration is intimately linked to thanksgiving.

One of the things that thanksgiving produces is an expectation for more good things. And, as I have learned, how I think and speak can determine the environment that I live in. So, I have found that the best place for me to start if I find myself down, under the weather, or feeling powerless is to take a 180 degree turn out of the dark ally of self-pity and instead put on attitude of gratitude – get my thanks on!

I believe that organizations, families, and individuals can accidentally sabotage their work with attitudes of negativity, which create a culture of “what’s wrong” and “how it’s never going to be right.” The key first step out of that culture is to say “thanks” – a lot. On the heals of thanksgiving and shouts of celebration, power will start to flow back into our limbs and minds as we appreciate what is – and begin to dream of what could be.

- Peter