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P Katz March Celebration Log

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.

In 2006 I celebrated my 54th birthday and my 32nd wedding anniversary. My children reached 26 and 21 years of age; and my eldest daughter married. Major milestones always stand out, but my intent was to find something to celebrate every single day of the year.

This log is the expression of that intent. Day by day, I recorded experiences, events, and conditions – large and small. Despite life's challenges and disappointments, I always found something to celebrate.

I'm sharing this with you in the hopes that it might help you notice and celebrate more of the good things to be found in your everyday life, too.

Appreciatively yours, Patricia

PS – Why not try this yourself? Download one of the Celebration Log templates and create your own record of appreciation day by day. It's available in two forms with my compliments:

Mar 1 - Today I celebrate ... a husband who demonstrates the courage and caring to call me about my procrastination on a major project. What's really going on? What's your underlying fear? Great questions.

Mar 2 - Today I celebrate ... our thoughtful neighbour who saves me from a premature heart attack by using his blower to clear 10 inches of wet, heavy snow from our driveway.

Mar 3 - Today I celebrate ... the enthusiasm of youth. In particular, the young illustrator and designer, Brian, who is just establishing his business and launching his career. It's cool to be able to help someone with talent get established and move forward.

Mar 4 - Today I celebrate ... the comfort of old friends. Hosting Warren for dinner, and visiting in a feet up, guard down kind of way was a comfortable and familiar delight.

Mar 5 - Today I celebrate ... the fabulous music of Connie Kaldor. What a treat to see her in concert and to have her close the night with my favorite Kaldor tune: Where The Sky Is Bigger Than Anywhere Else.

Mar 6 - Today I celebrate ... the power of focus and making significant progress on tasks at hand. Some days it just all comes together.

Mar 7 - Today I celebrate ... my good fortune in having booked air travel instead of driving to Regina. Freezing rain last night turned highways into skating rinks – with cars and trucks skating right off the road into the ditches.

Mar 8 - Today I celebrate ... colleagues you can count on. Today's SAHRP Luncheon meeting went very smoothly thanks to Nancy's grace and Gary's gusto.

Mar 9 - Today I celebrate ... new adventures. Having proposed and launched a new seminar program, 18 people from all over Saskatchewan and one from Winnipeg felt it worth attending.

Mar 10 - Today I celebrate ... opportunities to mentor those who are just starting out in their new businesses. Makes me realize how much I've learned and how far I've come. I'm happy to share what I've learned along the way.

Mar 11 - Today I celebrate ... the sale of my first watercolor painting. Wow! Many bidders and over $200 paid for my first public offering. Felt good to be contributing to a worthy cause, too – the Mid Life Women's Health Centre.

Mar 12 - Today I celebrate ... Sundays – time to sit and savour. Well, yes, there was also the shoveling! Snow...snow...snow.

Mar 13 - Today I celebrate ... the fact that my accountant is impressed enough with my 20 years of business success to nominate me for a SABEX Award in Marketing. Though I've declined for this year, the honour and good feelings remain.

Mar 14 - Today I celebrate ... old long lost friends. One of the participants in my U of S seminar is a childhood friend of Dave. How cool is that! Howie rediscovered.

Mar 15 - Today I celebrate ... coffee time chats with Lindsay. Feels good to share those companionable moments as mother and daughter.

Mar 16 - Today I celebrate ... road trips in all their glory. Yes, the weather was changeable, including ice, fog, and slush. However, waiting at the other end is adventure and my daughter and her fiancé. Well worth the trip.

Mar 17 - Today I celebrate ... the successful purchase of fabrics for the bride's and bridesmaids' dresses. Ingrid was fabulous - knew her clientele, and her fabric, and dressmaking techniques. She made the whole adventure fun and easy.

Mar 18 - Today I celebrate ... the Italian spirit of fun and food. In particular, Victor from Mercato who treated us to his flights of fancy (olive groves near Meadow Lake?) and made our 'seated at the counter- watching the chefs at work' dinner a real adventure.

Mar 19 - Today I celebrate ... safe returns. Though the road from Calgary to Kindersley was good. The last 200 kilometers home were sheer ice. Dave kept us safe and steered us home. I've rarely been so glad to see the lights of Saskatoon.

Mar 20 - Today I celebrate ... the joy of booking $13,000 of business in one hour.

Mar 21 - Today I celebrate ... alstromeria. Love those flowers – such sweet faces, in warm colours – friends that last a long, long time.

Mar 22 - Today I celebrate ... continuing progress on the book. I've got the five extra concept chapters pulled together. It's coming, really – despite the fact I decided to increase it from 128 to 144 pages!

Mar 23 - Today I celebrate ... my sisters – who are there for me every day of my life to commiserate and to celebrate.

Mar 24 - Today I celebrate ... the power of warmth and charm – and the ability to make doing business fun.

Mar 25 - Today I celebrate ... official markers. Signed a contract today with Brian, the talented young illustrator and graphic designer, who will create a stunning book from my text.

Mar 26 - Today I celebrate ... the telephone. How wonderful it is to be able to connect with family at a distance – to discover the condition of the roads without having to risk accident – and to visit despite the miles between us.

Mar 27 - Today I celebrate ... the desire to do and give my best despite a disappointing turnout for a program. They received the best of what I had to give, and I'm proud of that.

Mar 28 - Today I celebrate ... the power of breaking bread together to cement relationships.

Mar 29 - Today I celebrate ... the ability to make conversation with pretty much anyone by expressing interest in the joys of their lives.

Mar 30 - Today I celebrate ... the ability to notice the unusual, weaving and linking that noticing in a way that creates special moments of connection with an audience.

Mar 31 - Today I celebrate ... serendipitous sisterly connections. Tim Horton's - the perfect setting for a reconnection with Sammy.

© 2007 - 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.

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Note: You are welcome to reprint or repost this article with the understanding that: 1) Optimus Consulting retains full copyright. 2) Contact information is included as it appears at the end of the article. 3) Patricia Katz of Optimus Consulting is contacted and sent a copy of the publication or notice of the link in which the article appears.

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