The Power of Celebration

In a slump? I’ve got a quick way to boost the positive feeling in your brain.

According to “Psychology Today”, celebrating others has a profound positive impact on our brains. The positive change influences our own well-being. 

Here are just a few of the ways in which we’re affected.

Dopamine, a neurochemical reaction, is released when we are part of a celebration. Known as the “reward molecule”, dopamine is like a little treat for us and provides a sense of reward and pleasure.

Another neurochemical reaction that is activated when we have positive conversations with, or about, someone else is the elevation of oxytocin and endorphins. These neuropeptides, or chemical messengers, contribute to our sense of well-being and create a safe space for positive risk-taking and learning.

During celebrations the stress hormone, cortisol, is reduced which helps you to become more relaxed and cope better with challenges.

You can clearly see the benefits to your own sense of happiness when you take a moment to lift up and celebrate others. Celebrations don’t have to be complex or over the top.

Let me start here.

I’m going to use this email to celebrate two people in my life that have had significant accomplishments recently. (I also celebrated them on social media).

The first is Amy Rose. Amy is a high school principal in Massachusetts, and also has taken Navigating Challenging Dialogue®. Amy was a student when I worked in school administration, babysat my kids, and has been in my life a long time. 

Amy just published, Lead with Love, Live with Purpose — Lighting the Way for Others to Shine. Her book is a combination of great writing and compelling content. Amy  tells her story from a new school leader to a seasoned veteran. She shares the lessons, self-reflection, and researched based practices that helped her shape her own authentic and loving leadership style.

I started reading the book recently and couldn’t put it down. Although the book focuses on school leadership, there are great lessons and inspiration for anyone in leadership or hoping to move into leadership.

I’m eagerly awaiting Amy’s second book, due out any day now, titled, “Fear Inspired Leadership” and focuses on school change and difficult conversations.  

The second person I want to celebrate today is Ned Andrew Solomon, musician. Ned Andrew is living with vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is a condition caused by lack of blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to a part of the brain resulting in challenges with reasoning, planning, judgment, and memory. 

In recent years, Solomon has lost his life-long ability to play his many guitar instruments. However, his loving partner, Gina, encouraged him to pick them up and record his music as a legacy album. He has been working very hard on this with several partners over the past year. His neurologist says that in the process it appears that Solomon has rewired parts of his brain. How amazing is that? And his music is really good.

You can listen to his song, To Get Next To You, and learn more about Solomon’s journey on his website. 

Who in your life can you celebrate today? 

Maybe send a co-worker a note recognizing them for something they’ve done lately. Or writing a positive review for a server or business person on social media. Or drop a few flowers off to a neighbor. Just something that simple that let’s someone know they are celebrated. And then notice if you yourself feel any kind of boost!

I’d love to hear from you, know more about who you recognized, and what you noticed.