10 Reasons to Celebrate the Everyday

We all get overwhelmed from time to time, juggling a thousand things at once and spending most of our days striving to reach specific goals. But did you ever stop to realize that accomplishing little things can be just as important as completing big achievements? Reveling in life's little victories can create lasting memories and a lot of happiness. Here are 10 ways to start celebrating the everyday—now.

Grab a pen and paper, and write out a physical to-do list for yourself. There's something about physically crossing things off that makes you feel accomplished. "Some days, it's easy to feel like you didn't do anything (especially when you spend your days tending to young kids!), so it's great to have a visual reminder that you did actually do things and they were worthwhile!" says Jenny Solar, founder of the Happy Family Movement.

With all of the bills that need to be paid, it's easy to deny those small splurges. Dig out those birthday/holiday gift cards and get something nice for yourself. "When you're a parent, you focus so much of your time, energy and money on your kids. Splurging on yourself once in a while is a great way to reenergize and focus on yourself," says Solar.

"We all feel great when our team wins, and celebrating as a family is a great way to strengthen your family bond!" says Solar. So, throw on your favorite team gear, serve up a few beverages, and dig into those nachos—your team is about to play.

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A's and B's are definitely reasons to celebrate. It means that all those nights of homework help did not go to waste. Make a special dinner, or bake a cake. "To kids, everything seems big and worthy of lavish attention and praise. When we celebrate a good report card as a family, kids learn to be proud of themselves and to continue working hard on good grades," Solar says.

Whether it's a mystery, romance or nonfiction bestseller, books are a great way of escaping the pressures of everyday life. So if you finish one, get another, stat. "The books we read can make a huge impact on our lives and the lives of our kids! I have a good collection of parenting books, and I'm always thrilled to add another to my collection because I know each one shapes the way we're raising our family," Solar says.

Putting every penny away for a long period of time may seem daunting, but the outcome far outweighs the sacrifices. "Not only should we celebrate the fruits of our diligence, devotion and patience—we should pause and witness the miracle that small things tended over time can become enormous gifts," says life coach and author Lauren Rosenfeld.

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Whether it's a kindergarten graduation, first sporting event, first sleepover or another big step, celebrating childhood milestones can be fun for the whole family. "Growth happens in our children's lives constantly, and often we miss it because we are moving so quickly in life," Rosenfeld says. "It's important to pause in moments such as these to really celebrate their physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.

"Any parent of a graduating senior will tell you that they blinked and their children were out the door and off to start their adult lives. We need to pause at milestones along the way to take stock of the journey we are blessed enough to take with them," she says.

Remember when your child first learned to swim, or cook, or camp? Recognize what a big part you had in it, and bask in the glow of accomplishment. "When we teach our children, we are connecting them to the past and to the future—to the generations before us that taught us these things and to the future generations whom they will in turn teach. And we are giving them new ways to connect with the joy of life," Rosenfeld says.

The feeling of freedom after finishing a daunting task is reason enough to celebrate. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. "We are in the habit of believing that some tasks are thankless. But, in fact, every task we perform is a way of affirming our intellectual and physical vitality. We should dwell in gratitude for the gifts we are given to perform—even the difficult and tedious. Then these are not thankless tasks—they are thankful tasks," Rosenfeld says.

Nothing feels better than making our homes more livable with vibrant changes and welcome additions. "Families change and grow, and so do our homes. As we complete projects that allow us to truly stretch and deepen our experience of joy in family life, we can consciously affirm what this space was created for," Rosenfeld says.

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