How to celebrate the people we love better

This week in the UK, many people will be celebrating with our Monarch Queen Elizabeth II on her Platinum Jubilee. Seventy years on the British throne! What an achievement! When you look back at the last seventy years and just think about all that has happened, all that has changed, and that she was at the centre advocating for us and advising those in power. I know not everyone agrees with the Monarchy, and that’s their prerogative, but you cannot deny the tireless dedication she has shown to the British people. And that’s why I will be celebrating her this weekend with my family. Through all the storms that have been thrown her way, she has shown her mettle. And I think she is worth celebrating. Which got me thinking about how to celebrate the people we love better…

It’s not always about the big things

Seventy years on the British throne is a big deal. As the longest-reigning monarch in British history, she has outdone herself in more ways than this blog should contain (it would be a very long list!) Some of those things listed would be big things, but many would be little everyday things that mark her for her integrity, constancy, and service. How many people do we know in our lives that just live their lives and do things out of their good nature that goes uncelebrated, unnoticed, and unsung?

Moreover, why do we not notice these things more? Why is it that we wait until the big things happen before we decide to celebrate someone?; a birthday, anniversary, promotion, new house, new job. Don’t misunderstand, these things should be celebrated, but a person is so much more than these key occurrences. They are kind, helpful, loving, generous, patient, attentive, conscientious, hard-working, imaginative, dedicated…

…we are so many things.

And it’s about time we started taking better notice! When did we forget to celebrate the people we love best? When we got lost in our technology, our work, our busy schedules, our own affairs, our feelings of self-importance, our dreams and ambitions…we forgot that it’s not about us all the time. It’s about the people around us too. The people we love. Celebrate those people you love best by complimenting their skills, acknowledging a good effort, buying flowers just because, and going out of your way to do something nice. There are so many ways we can celebrate the people we love best but we have to wake up and notice what they do each day!

Some more ideas on how to celebrate the people we love best:

• Cook them their favourite meal
• Take some work off their hands so they can relax
• Run them a hot bath with bubbles and a glass of wine
• Write them a lovely card
• Take them out for the day
• Compliment them
• Show affection
• Ask for, include, and value their opinion

There are many many ways that we can celebrate the people we love best in small ways every day. Just like it’s about the small things we should be celebrating as well as the big things, it’s about the small things we do every day to celebrate that person that makes all the difference.

Why is it so important anyway?

Celebrating the people we love best is not about growing someone’s ego. That is when it goes too far. No, it’s about acknowledging the people around us and saying I appreciate you, I love you, you matter to me, you have done a good job and I noticed. When we don’t take time to celebrate the people we love best, they can begin to feel overlooked and taken for granted. And why would we want to make them feel that way? We love them!

Today, more than ever, we seem to be in a battle with our mental health. In a world where we have so much, we seem to take for granted the things that are actually the most important. So we need to break that cycle from a young age and encourage an awareness of people and their emotions and feelings. By showing love and kindness to everyone around us we can foster a culture of acceptance, growth, positivity, and joy. Things don’t always go to plan, we fail at times. but if we are celebrated when things go right, for our little things, we can cope with those fails far better than if we are feeling unnoticed.

Celebrate someone today!

Open your eyes to the people around you and take notice of all that they do. You might be surprised just how much they do that goes unnoticed. Celebrate them, love on them, and show them that all that they do and are is celebrated by you!