(OK, I’ll try to stop naming my posts after songs from my childhood. But no promises.)

Encouraging your client to celebrate every victory, no matter the size, is a huge part of coaching. As someone who can be described as having a rah-rah attitude, this enthusiasm comes naturally to me. But even I was taken aback when my first coach, Joanne, suggested we celebrate my saying “no” to a friend.

“So I’m going to physically celebrate saying “no” to that invitation? Really?”

Yes, really.

“Well, I don’t have the money to celebrate all the time. Going out to dinner, seeing a show, throwing a party – that adds up!”

Then it struck me:

“Idiot!”(OK, not the best name to call yourself, but it gets the point across)

“You don’t need to sink hundreds of dollars to have a celebration! It can be as simple as:

* buying some stargazer lilies (your favorite flowers) and displaying them in your apartment

* taking time out for a bubble bath with a book you’ve been meaning to read and a glass of wine

* buying a piece of dark chocolate and savoring every bite

* watching a DVD without multi-tasking

* sitting in the park with the Sunday Times, an iced coffee, and the man you love, enjoying the weather and the people walking by”

Feel free to comment and let me know what’s on your list. And while you’re at it, let me know what you’re celebrating! If you keep a notebook with you and add your achievements, you’ll be surprised with how much there is to celebrate.

Now where did I put that bubble bath, “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” and that bottle of Shiraz?……

UPDATE: I started a Celebration list to help ya Grow Up. Comment/email me to add to it, or steal it for yourself!

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 1:11 pm and is filed under Happy Hooplah. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.