The Importance of Celebration

In recent months, I participated in two Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey online 21-Day Meditation Programs. The first was called Making Every Moment Matter to “balance a busy life and find true fulfillment in each present moment,” and the second was Desire and Destiny to “discover your purpose, follow your passion, and become the person you were born to be.” I found so many wonderful takeaways, but two important reminders for me were that celebration is essential and that a gift resides in every moment.

It happens to all of us: We get caught in the daily trap of busy-ness, and then wonder, Where did the time go? According to Chopra and Oprah, “We don’t get true fulfillment through time management, but rather by living in the here and now.” And, that “Play, rest, rejuvenation, and celebration [help to] cultivate and inspire some of our best ideas.” So, how do we make this happen?

First Step: Awareness

Interestingly, the programs share that the present is the only place where living actually happens. The past is gone and the future hasn’t happened; all you have is this moment. This present moment is the only place where you can be creative and inspired … or feel appreciation and gratitude. So, what are you telling yourself? Are you constantly worrying about the past or future? The experts suggest that you should practice switching your thought patterns as often as you can to concentrate on right now, this very moment. Although not as easy as it sounds, regular practice begins to help change your awareness.

Second Step: Planning Less

Another takeaway: planning a little less allows you to experience a little more. We’re so busy filling up our calendars, scheduling meetings and events, and not focusing on allowing ourselves to experience life as it unfolds. Having spent many years in Corporate America, and now being a business owner, I know how easily my entire week is planned. Without even realizing it, I’ve completely booked myself … again. I need to remember to reprioritize and leave blocks of time unplanned. Because in these unplanned moments, I have time for creativity and to experience and celebrate life. Here, in these moments, inspiration occurs and meaningful things happen.

Third Step: Practical Application

Although daily meditation is highly recommended by the experts, we tend to get caught up in our daily tasks, and then lose track of and run out of time. We believe we have no time to take moments to meditate, relax, or clear our minds. But what if we can find other, seemingly more practical, but still as effective ways to accomplish the goal to plan less and stay in the present moment? You’ve heard the saying, “Work hard. Play hard.” Well, here’s the time to incorporate the play part. Chopra says that play is an essential aspect to life and living in the present moment. How can we literally incorporate play and celebration while practicing being in the present moment? Here are a few ideas:

• Practice mindfulness and being in the present moment while performing simple yet required tasks, like making tea or coffee, showering, walking the dog, or preparing dinner.
• Allow yourself 15 minutes a day to either meditate (sitting still or via walking meditation in a quiet, peaceful outdoors area), write in a journal, brainstorm new ideas, or just relax and stare into space.
• Make an attempt to leave blocks of time open where you find time for play and celebration by going with the flow, creatively finding a random adventure, or simply enjoying having nothing planned.
• Know that connecting to the present moment and that playing and celebrating more are ways to find happiness and live a more fulfilled life. With all of the above, find ways to incorporate play and celebration into every possible aspect of your life.

For a literal and physical way to incorporate more play and celebration into your life, enjoy the experience of opening one gift a day with The Days of Gifts. This act of daily opening allows you or your recipient to connect to the present moment by concentrating on unwrapping each day’s gift while extending celebration through enjoying multiple days of presents. Our packages are more than just giving gifts and opening presents. Our service and company are a physical and literal representation of living in the present moment and experiencing joy, celebration, and appreciation when a person unwraps one gift per day.