Tip of the Week: Be Thankful and Celebrate

This week’s tip: Be thankful and celebrate.

Last week’s brief hiatus from blogging helped me make a little extra room in my life to get ready for a very important moment. This Saturday, I had the incredible opportunity of officiating the wedding of one of my best friends.

Looking back on the experience, my heart is bursting with joy. 

The two friends that I married are a phenomenal pair. They are a couple of the silliest yet most sophisticated people I know, and they are perfect for each other. The honor of being their wedding officiant is one of the biggest blessings I have ever received.

Leading up to the wedding, I expected to be unbelievably anxious — standing up in front of a crowd of people, having one of the most important responsibilities I can imagine… but when the time came, I was shocked to find that I immediately felt like I was in my element. The whole time, I grinned from ear to ear, glancing back and forth from the bride to the groom — and forgetting that we had an audience at all.

During the ceremony, I wanted to give them some marriage advice. That said, having never been married, I knew I wasn’t necessarily the best person to offer that wisdom. 😉 So, I asked a couple of couples who had been married for over 35 years — their parents. They gave me some great advice to pass along, but the piece of advice that struck me as the most important was this:

Be thankful and celebrate.

“Things will get tough at times, but never forget your blessings. Keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge so you will always be prepared to commemorate times worth celebrating — whether it’s for a specific accomplishment or just being grateful that you found each other. “

I don’t think there’s much else that needs to be said on the matter. Research shows that people who have more meaningful relationships in their life tend to be happier. At the core, I think that’s what a meaningful life is really about.

So, this week, I’d like to pass along this tip to all of you: Remember to be thankful and celebrate. Take a moment to think about someone who is meaningful to you — your spouse, your best friend, your sibling, your mentor… Then, say thank you.

And celebrate your gratitude.

Cheers to meaningful relationships!