Is There Anything To Celebrate?
Image by Johanna Buguet via Unsplash
IS THERE ANYTHING TO CELEBRATE?
Part Five of Five Part Series: The 5C Solution
by Cindy Cipriani
This series has shown how gaining Clarity of who you are and what you want keeps you grounded; Commitment is the fuel that moves you forward; Challenges test your commitment; and Creation of a step-by-step action plan keeps you on track. To discover confidence in times of change, the last ‘C’ in The 5C Solution is to Celebrate each step along the way.
Usually when we want something, we envision what we will do to celebrate when we get it. We wait to reward ourselves. What we do not realize at the beginning is that the work involved in obtaining our goal is difficult. Because change is hard, we often give up before we reach the goal. The secret to not giving up along the way, is to celebrate each step you take towards the goal. This way, even though the work is hard, you enjoy the small rewards which encourages you to keep going.
If I were writing this a few months ago, it would not be hard to explain how to celebrate. At that time most of us were focusing on individual goals or challenges. When the pandemic hit, the whole world was suddenly affected by fear of an unknown enemy. Our focus shifted from looking forward to celebrations, such as weddings, proms, graduations, birthday parties and vacations to protecting ourselves from getting sick or dying just from being close to people. The celebrations were replaced with stress, anxiety and the restlessness of quarantine. The masks even hide our smiles.
Just as the world started to circulate again, our country exploded with the outcry of racial and social injustice. Anger and violence have consumed our cities and spread into small towns. The pulse of the nation has become so sensitive that every word can be met with criticism, judgment and division.
So, as we wrap up this series on getting clarity in our individual lives, is there any reason to celebrate?
The way I see it, celebrations are essential to balancing the crises of our lives. We have two choices. We can become consumed with the negativity or we can take a step back and focus on the everyday moments that bring us joy, even during a chaotic time. If we allow ourselves to dwell on the overwhelming problems, we cannot think of solutions. Our thoughts, actions and reactions affect everyone around us. So if we become introspective, root out our own biases, be curious enough to listen to others points of view, be compassionate enough to treat each individual we come in contact with as our equal, we will be a part of solution. That is something to indeed celebrate.
Perhaps how we celebrate has been forced to change, but we do not need to wait for a special occasion. When external circumstances are overwhelming, it is more important than ever to bring your attention to the small things, the individual moments, in your day that bring you happiness. It could be playing with your dog, preparing your favorite meal, sitting quietly listening to the birds, stopping and smelling the roses, feeling sunshine on your face or holding a door for a stranger. These are life’s celebrations that go unnoticed until you decide to purposefully do them to acknowledge the steps you are taking toward being the person you want to be.
Image by Annie Spratt via Unsplash
Large celebrations will return. There will be parties, sporting events, concerts and parades. Hopefully, the voices of those who are protesting will be heard and will create change that will be a welcome celebration for all! But until then, create a list of small actions that you can do during every day. Start becoming more joyful so that you have clarity to choose how your days are spent.
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” - Oprah Winfrey
Thank you for following this series. You have now learned ‘The 5C Solution.™’ The five ‘Cs’ can be remembered on the fingers of your left hand: clarity (pinky finger), commitment (ring finger), challenges (middle finger), creation of a plan (pointing finger) and celebrate (thumbs up!).
The 5 C Solution by Cindy Cipriani is a Personal and Professional Guidance System in Times of Change.
Clarity Coach, Cindy Cipriani, is the author of The 5C Solution: Discover Clarity & Confidence in Times of Change. https://amzn.to/3dbVpFq
For more information visit her website at www.the5csolution.com/ or her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ClearPathByCindy/
If you missed any part of this five part series, please visit our E-Magazine section where all 5 parts appear in the order they were published starting with Discover Clarity and Confidence in Times of Change.
The ImageMakers & Influencers Magazine would like to thank Cindy Cipriani for her valuable contribution of this five part series. For more information about Cindy’s services and book, please visit her website and contact her via the above provided links.