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.

• My Celebration Log – MS Word Doc (334 kb)
• My Celebration Log – PDF Format (280 kb)

Jan 1 – Today I celebrate … my youngest daughter’s safe return from her New Year’s Eve exploits. I also celebrate the fact that I’m improving in my ability to keep worry from hijacking my mind. Nowhere near 100%, but moving in the right direction.

Jan 2 – Today I celebrate … the presence of my mother and father in my life. They stayed overnight at our home on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Having lost both of my parents-in-law in the last couple of years, I’m reminded that life on earth does end. I treasure my own parents more each day. I’m delighted by the sound of their voices, even when they happen to disagree with each other.

Jan 3 – Today I celebrate … the commitment of David, my husband. Though his career may be less than fulfilling at the moment, he faithfully rises every morning and heads out the door to work that puts food on our table and allows us to live in comfort.

Jan 4 – Today I celebrate … my good fortune in noticing the fine print early enough to meet the deadline for submitting a training proposal – and my good luck in arranging courier service to get it to its destination on time.

Jan 5 – Today I celebrate … deep relationships with family, friends and colleagues. These are the people with whom it’s safe to share my fears and frustrations, my hopes and dreams, and the truths that lurk below the surface in the dark of night and the bright of day.

Jan 6 – Today I celebrate … the duality of good news / bad news situations. The airline overbooked, gave away my seat on the flight and bought my silence with a voucher as compensation. I was angry. Today that voucher turns into a ticket to bring my daughter home to plan her wedding. She’s delighted. So am I.

Jan 7 – Today I celebrate … lazy Saturday mornings, steaming hot coffee and fat juicy newspapers.

Jan 8 – Today I celebrate … the power of a fine movie to spirit you away from your everyday worries and to drop you into the lives and the times of others.

Jan 9 – Today I celebrate … my heart friends, Linda and Lillas. We’ve borne witness to the events of each other’s lives for over a decade now. The love and support in that connection is immeasurable and priceless.

Jan 10 – Today I celebrate … the manager who creatively maneuvers his way around restrictive systems. I return an item to a store without a sales receipt, but with a copy of the credit card statement referencing the purchase. Their system doesn’t allow refunds without a receipt. The manager locates the transaction, prints a new receipt, hands it to me with instructions to hand it to the clerk standing beside him. Receipt received, refund executed, mission accomplished, eyes rolled, and giggles shared. Aren’t systems grand?

Jan 11 – Today I celebrate … old photographs and the stories they tell about lives lived and adventures led. Who knew my father in law had a penchant for plaid suit jackets in his early days as well as his later years? I just thought my mother in law was giving him bad wardrobe advice!

Jan 12 – Today I celebrate … colleagues who are so generous with their time, their attention and their advice. My life and my business are richer and more successful because of their giant, giving hearts.

Jan 13 – Today I celebrate … the stunning beauty of the hoar frost sparkling in the sun on the tree lined banks of the South Saskatchewan River.

Jan 14 – Today I celebrate … my opportunity to be the mother of the bride. How sweet it is to stand by in support, to watch my eldest daughter plan and choose, drawing from the core of who she is.

Jan 15 – Today I celebrate … the gift of selflessness. Daughter number two – the maid of honor – sets aside her preoccupation with self to be available to the needs of her sister for two days running. Now that’s devotion.

Jan 16 – Today I celebrate … the gift of language and my access to books. Countless writers have enriched my life and challenged my understanding. I thank them all for putting pen to paper and taking the risk of publishing their ideas for the world to see.

Jan 17 – Today I celebrate … Lloyd, the mover, and other straight shooters – those who follow through on their promises to give you an answer pronto instead of keeping you dangling in hope.

Jan 18 – Today I celebrate … the sweet joy and comfort in puttering around the kitchen at end of day with family – while supper is being prepared, table set, and news traded. Home…and together … again.

Jan 19 – Today I celebrate … my long time friend, Thelma, and all those like minded individuals who give of themselves to make our neighbours from other parts of the world feel at home in Saskatoon. It feels good to send Nana’s remaining household goods to Thelma and her group, knowing they will be put to good use equipping refugee families struggling to make a new home in our community.

Jan 20 – Today I celebrate … helping hands. Tracey was in the office taking care of a handful of administrative and clerical tasks that would have taken me all day. While she was here, I was able to work on what I really should be doing – writing and contacting clients.

Jan 21 – Today I celebrate … being able to go home. It’s an hour long drive to the farm … over roads, past fields, under skies that are as familiar to me as my own skin. Fifty years of memories wash over me as I travel to one of the places I love most in this whole wide world.

Jan 22 – Today I celebrate … powerful dreams with positive messages. I choose life!

Jan 23 – Today I celebrate … living in a democracy. The line was long at our poll, but I didn’t mind waiting at all. It’s a privilege to be able to cast a vote.

Jan 24 – Today I celebrate … the serendipitous experience of being a moment too early or a moment too late for accidental disaster. I really didn’t mind being stalled in a slow moving line of traffic on the freeway. It gave me time to feel thankful that I had not been in the way of the vehicle that jumped the boulevard on a patch of black ice.

Jan 25 – Today I celebrate … medical test results that give you an ‘all clear’. There can be no better feeling than to have your health confirmed by someone in the know – and to share the good news with those you love.

Jan 26 – Today I celebrate … the power of humor to connect strangers at a distance. Sharing laughs with potential clients is a delightful way to start relationships.

Jan 27 – Today I celebrate … the power of persistence that makes it possible to set buns in chair and work to completion on a project.

Jan 28 – Today I celebrate … the joy of painting and having learned enough about the art to be able to recreate in recognizable form an image of St Paul’s Anglican Church – the Sunday morning gathering place of my childhood.

Jan 29 – Today I celebrate … the joy of extended family and our coming together to celebrate the 4th birthday of the youngest member of our family, Nicole. Never have I seen a child of that age so thoughtful and careful in unwrapping her gifts, exploring the packages, and thanking the givers. What a gem she is.

Jan 30 – Today I celebrate … the place of learning in my life as I’m coached by Doug Stevenson on how to make my presentation stories as compelling as possible. He’s funny, inciteful and insightful!

Jan 31 – Today I celebrate … my ability to consult and coach by going with the flow and knowing that I will bring forward the concept that’s needed at exactly the right time.

© Patricia Katz MCE CHRP of Optimus Consulting is a speaker, author and consultant who helps individuals and organizations restore the rhythm of renewal to work and life. To bring Patricia’s expertise to your organization, contact her at www.patkatz.com or toll free at (877) 728-5289.