Regis & Kelly

Lay-off Tip #14: Celebrate the Milestones

So this is the second post that has the subject line of a daytime talk show :). But today's episode of Live with Regis & Kelly had me tearing up! It is their 10 year anniversary together and so the entire week was focused on looking back and celebrating their accomplishments and time together. I feel like that's something that we don't do enough.

Sure, we'll do gifts or a champagne toast or a card but usually only when it's an official anniversary. 10 years at a company; 5 year wedding anniversary; birthdays; graduations; etc. But there are so many unofficial milestones to celebrate. Both personally and professionally. When you think about your life as a big road map, it is usually the bumps and curves and mile markers that we remember, but sometimes we should stop and celebrate the journey between each marker. Look at a particular path on your life journey, from a low valley to a high peak. Whatever you did during that time, whoever was there for you - that is the good stuff. Not just the highlighted end points but the journey in between.

One of my favorite quotes is focused on the choices we make along our life path, "All of life is a journey, which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there."

It's time to reflect more on our successes and relationships. I realize that after the lay-off the subject of my conversations with people was the actual lay-off itself. I believe that needed to happen at the beginning because I had to process the event (that mile marker). During those conversations, we didn't spend a lot of time focusing on the time spent at the company. Now that it's been over a month, I've moved into the phase where I want to reminisce and celebrate all that happened while I was there. It was a company unlike any other - my friends outside of the company would always be amazed at how close everyone was and how it really filled my social calendar :). It's time to look back fondly.

I encourage you, don't wait until the official anniversaries - take time now to celebrate your relationships and your accomplishments. Everyday you have successes! Acknowledge them. It'll make your life happier each and every day.

Never underestimate the power of daytime television. They really do have some great ideas! And they know how to celebrate :)
Rachael