Elevate Your Celebration – Step Up Your Life

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According to psychology, I’m supposed to start my post by saying how we’re the same, but although we breathe the same air…

…I just don’t do what you do.

I don’t celebrate what you celebrate, or even how you celebrate. I celebrate like it’s going outta style, and chances are we have different attitudes about celebration.

Wanna uncover the mystery of *how* our attitudes are different? Keep reading.

Note: I’m thankful Annika Martins asked me the question: "What do I need to celebrate?" for her Celebration Series blog crawl. I’m honored to be one of the 10 she asked to blog about celebrating. See the rest or join at The Celebration Series.)

(Oh, and I’m gonna tell you how we’re the same in a bit too, wait for it )

Anyway, if you know me, you know that this post is one of the only times I’ve ever used the word ‘need’ on Ryze.

‘Cause, well… I don’t really believe in ‘needs’.

I believe in being badass, I believe in being successful and rockin’ life on every level.

So where’s ‘need’ fit into all that?

Nowhere, that’s where What can I say? Some call me a s***-starter.

But hold on, let’s not make a big deal of it — I want to answer Annika in the spirit of the question, and it’s a good one, because I feel super-passionate about celebration.

So…

You don’t ‘need’ to read what I’m about to share, but you wanna read it, because it’s some of the best, gold ideas you’ve ever come across about celebration.

Let’s do this.

***

"Yeah! Rock it, star!"

" Let’s run things– Sunday-Sports-Style!" my shout amped up by testosterone and adrenalin, rallying my friends to celebrate the summer day.

"Hah, yeah man! Let’s do it up!" my crew replied, tearing down the field with celebration and enthusiasm.

We we ready for Sunday Sports. We had snacks and friends. We were already celebrating.

When I was a kid, this kind of thing was a regular occurence.

When I was a kid we all celebrated like a boss.

We knew how to celebrate – for real. We ran around expressing ourselves and whatever desires we had, to anyone we could find.

Days were filled with basketball, video-games, and parties. We wanted stuff and for the most part, we got it.

My fam was tight, and our regular shared meals were non-stop laughter. We didn’t have forced family dinners, we had celebrations that none of us wanted to miss.

We followed our hearts and helped each other and collaborated together.

Sounds perfect, right?

Well it was, but as I grew older… life ‘changed’.

Friends came and went, and many of them abandoned the ‘celebration attitude’ we began with, in favor of a ‘more sustainable business model’ or a ‘secure job’.

Apparently non-stop celebrating was ”crazy’ and ‘childish’.

This is why I say I’m different, because to me, non-stop celebration is a way of life.

Not so much for others, like my childhood friends. Apparently they’d never heard of Jay-Z or Tony Robbins or Hugh Hefner, all people who inspire me to live a life of celebration.

See the thing is, most people believe having fun is not economically viable. (I do, though. So does Virgin. So does Zappos.)

Most people are scared and trade-away hours of their lives on things that don’t thrill them and focus their conversation on hiding rather than celebrating.

So, my crew joined the ranks of "most people", and before I knew it, the "celebration vibe" had all but disappeared, and I was the only one left holding it.

I was left to live a life of celebration… alone.

And I’m f***ing glad it went down that way. It taught me some very valuable things, and if you pay close attention, you’ll learn them here. (One thing it taught me is that I can celebrate every day, every moment, even if I have very little support around me.)

Note: You can read a lot of helpful shit on the net; you can learn money-making tips, and time-saving tips, and all that — but Ryze is one of the few places you’ll learn the ins-and-outs of celebration — This. Is. Valuable. Keep reading.

So, what did my disowned, abandoned, unsupported ass do when everyone left me?

I celebrated, and I got good at it, because…

 

1. Celebration’s A Skill – Master It

You have a life.

Duh, right?

Am I being too obvious?

Okay, try this.

Your life is a series of moments.

And when you were a kid, you made choices and took actions so that the majority of those moments were a celebration. You can’t deny it, every kid knew how to choose foods, skills, attitudes, and ideas that helped them celebrate.

You did too.

When you were a kid.

Somewhere along the way, you flipped it. You made choices and took actions so that the majority of your moments are totally NOT celebration. They’re boring. They’re bland.

The majority is read another blog, go to work, watch some TV – nothing that inspires real celebration.

And that’s cool.

You can have it either way, a life of celebration, or not – it’s your call.

Mastering the skill of celebration means celebrating on purpose. Every day. Every moment. As much as possible.

It means that your goal next week is to celebrate more, better, deeper, than this week.

Is this an average skill to practice? No, but it’s one I practice.

(See, toldja I have a different attitude )

Do they teach it in school, like reading or math? No, but Ryze teaches it.

Does focus on this skill bring way above average results? Yep, and achievers get it.

Does it mean you have to make "significant life changes"? Yep – eventually – but like any skill, you can start small.

• For example, how easy is it to celebrate when you take a deep breath? To just think "Ah yeah, that’s good. That’s something to celebrate!" – deep breaths are amazing, and if you reward yourself for them, you got a deep breath AND a celebratory moment.
• Or how easy it to celebrate rain? It cleanses the city, it promotes growth, flowers, fields, animals.
• How easy is it to celebrate a ‘good meeting’ or a ‘good conversation’ or a ‘good blog post’? Grab a glass of wine, buy a candy bar, go play in a park. You know, celebrate, like when you were a kid.

Celebration is a skill – one I intend to master and be famous for. Believe it. You can spend your time studying cycling or accounting or whatever works for you. We’ll see who’s life is more fulfilling

2. Celebrating External Stuff Is ‘Weak’

In the last section, I said to celebrate a breath. You can also easily celebrate a good meal (definitely a praise-worthy accomplishment, and if you don’t think so, talk to a third world child ). You can also celebrate a friend or family member or occasion, it’s all true.

And it’s so, so, so great to celebrate these things, of course.

But they’re still weak.

Each of those outside things has a stronger internal flipside, and celebrating that is massively powerful.

When you celebrate a delicious meal (outside thing) you’d be better celebrating: nourishment, satisfaction, deliciousness (internal).

When you celebrate a friend or family member, you’d be better celebrating: co-operation, togetherness, intimacy.

When you celebrate a group occasion, you’d be better celebrating: opportunity, fulfillment, joy.

Why is this so? Well… I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you

All I’m saying is I have a LOT of experience with celebration (and lack of it), and this stuff works.

Celebrate the deeper things, the core, the feelings – not just the outside things.

 

3. Combined Celebration Is Heaven

This is how we’re the same. We both love celebrating together.

Even though you can celebrate anything from breathing & sunlight to confidence & deliciousness on your own… celebration is far more powerful when done together.

Mind blown yet? No?

That’s ’cause most people understand this – it’s not the mind-blowing part.

The mind-blowing part is:

How many actions people could take to celebrate with others … but they just… don’t.

Are your family + friends bland and un-celebratory? Take action. Find a community online (dont act like their aren’t any). Co-workers letting you down? Take action. Post a craigslist ad.

Do something.

Let go of your default, auto-pilot life of minimal celebration and get into it with others. I guarantee you they’re out there, eagerly awaiting more celebrators.

Let it be you.

For me, every time I interact with anyone, from the security guard at my condo, to my students, to my mentors… is a celebration, and everyone feels it.

Ryze up, yo.

At The Core…

It kinda looks like I didn’t really answer Annika’s question. I didn’t tell you what I ‘need’ to celebrate.

…

Or did I?

If you were paying attention, you might’ve picked up on my real need.

Because I couldn’t imagine a life without celebration, and one thing I celebrate most powerfully… is ‘celebration’. We *need* more of it.

BAM.

So there you go Annika: What do I need to celebrate? Celebration itself. If I can get more people to celebrate, I love it. If I can catch someone celebrating, it makes my life.

Now, before I go, I’ll show you a clip of me celebrating with a girl I met on the street. I don’t have champagne in my hand, but my every word, breath, and conversation is talking about a LIFE of celebration. (thanks Oksana, and thanks Arthur for capturing this insanely raw meeting on camera.)

I know how I celebrate, do you?

Lemme know in the comments!