8 Ways To Celebrate Yourself, No Matter How Small The Victory May Seem

Over the last few months, I've been on a quest to truly live in joy. Not just to be happy, but to actually be joyous. This means to wake up feeling like I won a million bucks even if I only have a single dollar to my name. To be able to smile when I'm hurting and to enjoy my life even when my circumstances are telling me, "Nah, breh." Joy is a feeling that can't be explained. You know you have joy when you don't have to question if it's there.

When I'm in my season of miracles, it's so easy for me to say that I'm experiencing joy. However, when in my season of message, I can't say the same. Something positive can happen to me and because I may feel like I don't deserve it, I brush it off as being insignificant. What I'm starting to learn though, is that when you're in your season of message, that's really when you should be celebrating yourself more. Since message seasons are usually around to teach you a great lesson, a series of uncomfortable events are likely to happen to shift you and leave you feeling as if life is against you. So, being able to celebrate — even the smallest things — will help remind you that life is still for you, God has not left you, and that even when things are not going the way you'd like, you are still finding a way to enjoy it.

Though it may have taken me a little time to get comfortable with celebrating the small things, it's helped me appreciate the beauty in my days and remember that life can only be as good as you let it be. You deserve to be celebrated and it shouldn't take anyone else to do it for you to realize that.

So, if you're looking for a few ways to get the ball rolling and jumpstart your never ending season of celebration, here are eight ways to do it.

1. Buy Yourself Something You Love: This doesn't have to be anything super expensive. It could simply consist of getting your favorite candy bar from the gas station. Treating yourself to any size reward is something that will remind you how good it feels to pat yourself on the back.

2. Extend Your Break: When I'm deep into work, I never take a break. There are times that I skip meals because I don't want to miss a deadline or am just feeling like a break isn't deserved. Though you should never use my approach, if you've been pushing through the day and something good happens, you should take a little extra time to revel in the moment. Take a longer lunch, go on a walk, or just watch a show. It sounds so small, but you'll appreciate that time later.

3. Make A Bubble Bath And Enjoy It: Pour yourself up some wine, grab a book, and relax for a change. You deserve it.

4. Make Yourself A Playlist With All The Right Tunes: It's a proven fact that music affects your emotions. Create yourself a bomb feel good playlist to keep handy every time you feel like celebrating.

5. Watch A Movie That Makes You Feel Good: Anytime I feel good, I always want to treat myself to something tasty and watch one of my favorite movies. Doing that reminds me how important "me" time is and helps me realize that it's OK to take a break. I'm sure it'll do the same for you, too.

6. Buy Yourself Some Flowers: Flowers are beautiful and they liven up any dark place. I never understood the positive feeling that comes along with looking at or getting flowers when I was younger, but now that I'm older, I totally get it. Having fresh flowers around is a good way to show yourself some love.

7. Bake Something: This could be something that only I find enjoyment in, but baking a sweet treat always makes me feel like I've done something great. That's why when something good does happen, I automatically think of treating myself with a cupcake, cake, or doughnut. The process of baking your treat is usually low effort and you'll feel so good after you take that first bite once it's done.

8. Do Something You've Told Yourself You Would Do, But Haven't Yet: This could really be something as simple as cleaning out your closet or buying a new pack of hair clips. The point is you have to enjoy where you're at in life or you'll never be able to get the next stage of it. Doing the thing that you wanted to do shows that you have confidence in yourself and since you're already in a good mood, this will heighten it.

What do you do to celebrate yourself? Drop a comment below to let me know!

With Creative (and Celebratory) Thoughts,

-Kp