Celebrating
You!
“The
bear went over the mountain,
the
bear went over the mountain,
the
bear went over the mountain,
to
see what he could see...
The
other side of the mountain,
the
other side of the mountain,
the
other side of the mountain,
was
all that he could see...”
Mark
Levinthal
Remember
this old song that you sang to your children? I do. We illustrated it
with hand gestures—fingers climbing up the mountain, and shrugs for
the other side. It is kind of what we do with our accomplishments,
isn't it? Especially women, I've found. We work hard, achieve much
and then shrug it off. We have a tendency to not celebrate ourselves
because that would be bragging. Case in point—I did not walk at
graduation from either under-graduate or graduate school. There were
no after-graduation parties, or anything else except...well, the
other side of the mountain. Think of it this way—when your children
graduated from high school you were there. Perhaps when they
graduated from college, you were there. Yeah...so where were you when
it was your turn in the spotlight?
So
many of us have a hard time celebrating ourselves. Birthdays are just
another day of the week. We work our way up a corporate ladder, and
overcome innumerable obstacles, close deals, raise money for charity,
and a million other things. But typically, we shrug off our personal
triumphs as 'oh, well, anyone could have done it.' This tendency to
shrug it off is learned behavior. If you grew up in a family that
made a great deal of birthdays and anniversaries, you have a
tradition of celebrating, and if you didn't, you are less likely to
even think in those terms. But learned behaviors can be unlearned.
Celebrations
don't have to be expensive affairs. I've seen birthday parties for
little children that cost more than a month's wages, and don't even
get me started on the great American wedding! Please! Celebrations can be
small and intimate. Treat yourself to a massage. Buy a new outfit.
Have lunch with friends. Light a candle and give thanks for you. But
don't just climb over the mountain and down the other side. You're
worth a little fanfare now and then.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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