If you’ve been following our social media you no doubt know that this month we’re celebrating the 5th birthday of our practice. When I opened the doors 5 years ago, I had no idea what to expect. It was a huge risk that has turned out to provide some pretty great rewards.

And so I decided to celebrate.

Nothing huge – we’ve put up some balloons and shared some treats. I honestly have felt mildly silly doing it – I know it’s not nearly as big a deal to anyone but me.

On the other hand, I decided to power through, because I believe in the importance of celebration. There is so much bad news in this world, and plenty of things to bring us down. It’s nice to have something happy to think about.

And it turns out that celebrating is good for our mental health.

A recent study published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing found that celebrations that include food and drink, gathering with others and intentionally recognizing an important milestone or event can increase our sense of social support. Increasing social support can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and increase an overall sense of well-being.

When we take time to celebrate the little and the big events in our lives and the lives of people we care for, it creates a domino effect of all kinds of good things.

A celebration is a perfect example of a positive emotional experience, and we know that filling our lives with positive emotional experiences is essential for good mental health. (For more about those, read here.)

What can you celebrate right now?

There are the obvious things like birthdays and graduations, but there are so many other things worth celebrating. Here are some ideas:

• The end of a week or month
• The beginning of a week or month
• Accomplishing a goal
• A kind or thoughtful act
• The end of a hard season
• An important friendship

You can celebrate anything you choose and it doesn’t have to be a big production — just be sure to bring in some great food and beverages, invite a friend or two and be clear about what you’re celebrating.

On that note, Happy Birthday to Us!!!

If you are in the Greenwood/Indianapolis, Indiana area and could use some extra support, give us a call at 317-743-8202 or email [email protected]. Even if you’re not in the area and have questions, we would be glad to help if we can.