What will you celebrate in 2020?
2020... Another new year begins, with new plans, new goals, new habits, and a clean slate!
A Decade of Discovery as well as a Decade of Celebrations! What do you have in store this year?
You can reschedule that meeting.
You can hit "record" on that show and watch it later.
And the dishes piling up in the sink? They can stay dirty a little longer.
But you can’t reschedule the moments that matter.
The celebrations that mark the passage of time — our birthdays, our anniversaries, our big wins, our weddings.
These are the moments that remind us that there’s so much more to life than our day-to-day to-do lists.
Instead, you must make the most of these moments, carving out time from your hectic schedule to hit pause and say, "wow, life IS really special."
When it all is said and done, we are all worthy of celebrating moments in our lives, both small and monumental. Yet, most times we don't (for various reasons).
Below are some of my suggestions to ensure you and your loved ones take full advantage of the moments that matter as we enter a new decade.
Plan your celebrations! What are they going to be? Map our your year, or the next few. Beyond the birthday parties and dinners, what is it that you want to celebrate in your life? Is it a job promotion, a new endeavor, a marriage, milestone anniversary or birthday, a retirement? Which milestones are so important to you, that it's worthy of celebrating with a bucket list trip?
I'll share mine to get you started. Personally, I will be hitting a milestone birthday in 2020. Yes, I am turning 40! (I wish). Anyway, I have had my bucket-list trip planned out in my head for several years now, and we have the plans in place for June. I could not be more excited!
You can literally celebrate anything that you want. It doesn't have to be a major event or milestone. How about spring break? That family summer vacation you've always wanted to do? A long weekend getaway with friends? Whatever you can imagine, you can celebrate. Life is worth it!
Take time to schedule your vacations! I strongly recommend making this a top priority. You don't have to fly around the globe to celebrate. There are times when that isn't feasible, I get it. However, scheduling time to step away from work, away from the daily distractions and choosing to be present with our family, friends, and companions takes precedence. We need it to nourish our own minds (our sanity) and bodies, and the bonding time is priceless. Where you can truly choose to unplug and disconnect. This is where unforgettable memories are made, regardless of the locale. The key is simply to unplug and be present! Have someone to take care of your work responsibilities. If you are leaving the kids behind, place them with a trusted family member or friend. They are in good hands! Now it's time for you to go enjoy!
Commit to it! This one is short and sweet. If you make it a priority it will happen. Ok, it may be a bit an extreme, but think of it like this. Your vacations and celebrations are something your life depends on. In a way it does. Maybe not the life or death part, but the meaningful, "happy place", unforgettable memories, and bonding we all crave in our over-connected world. Beautiful moments can still be captured in between beautiful vacations. They do happen in everyday life. However, getting away from, and out of, our normal routine and environment sure does help.
Make your Bucket-List! Find your inspiration! Flip through travel magazines, watch the Travel Channel, social media, or create a Pinterest board. The options for finding inspiration are endless. Make it fun and involve the whole family. Just the act of thinking and writing it down will build excitement within you.
My advice for this? Don't limit to just destinations. Think of specific experiences that will really touch your soul, connect you to the destination and to the most joyous part of yourself. Is there something you've always dreamed of doing but never thought it would be possible? List that! For example, what if you participated in an Italian cooking class, where the chef takes you to a local market, helps to select the freshest ingredients, and then you proceed to prepare and sample a full meal, complete with local wines, in a Tuscan Villa. Sounds amazing right? Or attending a Symphony in Ephesus. Where you are the first to hear an orchestra play inside the Odeon in over 100 years. That's the kind of Bucket-List I am talking about. Grab a piece of paper and see what you can come up with for yourself.
What are some other steps you might take to ensure your major milestones and hard-earned successes don't go unnoticed? There is no right or wrong way to do this. As long as you DO it and commit to sharing life's moments!
What is on your bucket-list (large or small). What are some of your life's moments that you wouldn't think of not celebrating? I'd love for you to share!
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