Continuing our discussion of The Power of Celebration, we now turn our attention to the third and fourth keys to increasing the sense of joy in your life…
Key #3 – Give Of Yourself
This key arises naturally out of the last one. When we stop and realize just how much we have and how blessed we have been in life, it is natural for us to want to share our joy and prosperity with those less fortunate than ourselves.
If you want to give money to charities and individuals, then do so, but do not think that money is all you have to give. You could give a ride to someone without transport. You could give a food hamper to a family you know who are struggling financially. You could give a toy to the local hospital or orphanage. You could give some time to anyone you know who is lonely and needs a friend.
When you think about it, there are an infinite number of ways in which you can contribute to the lives of other people. There are an infinite number of ways in which you can give more love, light, peace and joy to those around you. All you have to do is think for a few moments about the people you know and then decide how you would like to give of yourself to help these people celebrate and create good things in their own lives.
In giving, we receive. We may not receive like-for-like, but at the very least we experience the joy of being able to help others, and if we truly have a spirit of giving then no other reward is ever really necessary.
Key #4 – Appreciate Your Loved Ones
All too often, we get so wrapped up in helping obviously needy people that we fail to express our appreciation to those who are closest to us. The fourth key to celebrating life is therefore to deliberately appreciate your loved ones.
Think of the people you love and who love you, and think of how rich and satisfying your life is because of these people. They could be friends, parents, siblings, cousins, children or grandchildren. No matter who they are, express thanks for these people and then express appreciation to these people for bringing such joy and love into your life.
How you express your appreciation to these people will obviously depend on the people themselves. You may give gifts to some, share a thoughtful word with another, give practical help to yet another and so on. All that matters is that you let your loved ones know how much they mean to you.
