Articles

P Katz February Celebration Log

© Patricia Katz MCE CHRP, Optimus Consulting

2006 marked my twentieth year in business. To commemorate the occasion, my friend and colleague, Maggie, gave me a wall stencil with the word 'Celebrate'. I affixed that to the wall in my office and declared the year 2006 to be a year of celebration.

In 2006 I celebrated my 54th birthday and my 32nd wedding anniversary. My children reached 26 and 21 years of age; and my eldest daughter married. Major milestones always stand out, but my intent was to find something to celebrate every single day of the year.

This log is the expression of that intent. Day by day, I recorded experiences, events, and conditions - large and small. Despite life's challenges and disappointments, I always found something to celebrate.

I'm sharing this with you in the hopes that it might help you notice and celebrate more of the good things to be found in your everyday life, too.

Appreciatively yours, Patricia

PS - Why not try this yourself? Download one of the Celebration Log templates and create your own record of appreciation day by day. It's available in two forms with my compliments:

Feb 1 - Today I celebrate ... the willingness of others to invest in my projects - sharing their feedback and insights in on-line focus groups as they help me title my book.

Feb 2 - Today I celebrate ... my husband of 32 years and his predictable but oh so appreciated romanticism. Flowers in our anniversary room at the Bessborough. He knows how much I love the blooms and always finds a way to surprise me with them.

Feb 3 - Today I celebrate ... the beauty of a day of lounging and ambling - heading where the spirit moves and enjoying every unplanned moment of the day - from bistro to appliance shop to bank to notary to Bobbi encounter to seafood shop to cheese shop to florist to jeweler to hotel to video shop to home and a fire with our feet up - together.

Feb 4 - Today I celebrate ... the generosity of sales reps who help you make the best deals and buying decisions, and who make you privy to background news about extended warranties and pending changes. Yes, we will order that refrigerator before the warranty period shrinks from five years to two.

Feb 5 - Today I celebrate ... the writers and the actors who bring a slice of life to the stage. Dry Streak is a wonderful peek into the pulse of rural life in the 1980's.

Feb 6 - Today I celebrate ... the feeling of accomplishment - actually finishing one stage of my next book - soliciting permissions and editing the text. Hurrah!

Feb 7 - Today I celebrate ... my Aunt Eileen and the opportunity to take her out to dinner and enjoy her wonderful sense of humour and kind, warm spirit.

Feb 8 - Today I celebrate ... my growing skill in drawing and painting. More often, now, I'm turning out pieces that I will actually show to others. The practice and the lessons are paying off.

Feb 9 - Today I celebrate ... computer scrabble. Dave received the software for Christmas, and we have taken to joining forces, playing as one against the computer whiz, Maven. With a cup of tea or a glass of wine, and a common gaming 'enemy', it's a companionable way to while away a wintry evening hour.

Feb 10 - Today I celebrate ... that at 53 (me) and 37 (my youngest sister) we can still have fun raiding each other's closets, sharing clothes for a special occasion.

Feb 11 - Today I celebrate ... ordering a new refrigerator and range. 32 years since we bought our first set, and 23 years since we bought our last set. How domestic to be excited about appliances!

Feb 12 - Today I celebrate ... the exuberant reach of 4 year olds. "Yes, I want an ice cream blizzard, Aunt Pat. Make mine a large. Make Hailey's a large, too."

Feb 13 - Today I celebrate ... ideas that keep on flowing. Somehow, whether it's a newspaper column or a weekly e-zine, there's always something to notice and always something to write.

Feb 14 - Today I celebrate ... winds and snow that abate before I have to hit the road - making travel much calmer and less nerve wracking.

Feb 15 - Today I celebrate ... new work with a new client and a new program. Challenges all round.

Feb 16 - Today I celebrate ... the successful framing of my first painting to publicly go up for sale at a fund raising auction. It looked so good when matted and framed, that I almost hated to let it go.

Feb 17 - Today I celebrate ... bittersweet memories of one now gone. Georgina would have been 90 years old today.

Feb 18 - Today I celebrate ... appliance delivery people who arrive exactly when they say they will. Gotta love reliable!

Feb 19 - Today I celebrate ... the fact that covering the lemon yellow and blue sponge print décor on the walls of bathroom number two only took five coats of creamy yellow point - not six. Yikes!

Feb 20 - Today I celebrate ... a leisurely late afternoon stroll along the riverbank path - time and space to slough off the cares of the day and think - or not - as the spirit moves.

Feb 21 - Today I celebrate ... the healing powers of apology, forgiveness and time.

Feb 22 - Today I celebrate ... dry roads in the middle of winter, easy travel, and the smarts to know when to pull over for a nap rather than driving half asleep.

Feb 23 - Today I celebrate ... positive feedback on my speaking ability from someone who really knows the business.

Feb 24 - Today I celebrate ... the satisfaction of fulfilling promises made to clients to deliver proposals and programs.

Feb 25 - Today I celebrate ... cardboard boxes. How fun it was to spend a couple of hours with 4 year old Nicole and 6 year old Hailey turning a big old cardboard box into a club house - connected by tunnel to an indoor tent. What wonderful imaginations they have!

Feb 26 - Today I celebrate ... the opportunity to pay taxes in this great country of ours. Yes, doing the annual paperwork is a pain. Yes, letting go of that share of the income hurts. But at the same time I am so fortunate to have created meaningful work, to be paid for that contribution, and to be in a position to contribute to the wealth of our country.

Feb 27 - Today I celebrate ... our foresight and good fortune in contributing early to Retirement Savings Plans. They are growing again - after a few dismal years in the markets - and I can see a bright financial future for us both.

Feb 28 - Today I celebrate ... friends who think of me and pass along ideas and information that is helpful in the business. Thanks, Ruth, for the pointer to the Plimsoll Line.

© 2007 - Patricia Katz MCE CHRP of Optimus Consulting is a speaker, author and consultant who helps groups and individuals restore the rhythm of renewal to work and life. Contact her at www.patkatz.com or toll free at (877) 728-5289.
The text of this publication or parts thereof may only be reproduced with the written permission of the author. To inquire about reproduction, contact:
Patricia Katz, MCE CHRP Optimus Consulting 315 O'Brien Place, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7K 6S9
P: (306) 934-1807. F: (306) 242-0795.
Toll Free: (877) 728-5289 (pat-katz)
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