I turn 50 later this year and, I’ll let you into a secret. I don’t want a big bash, nor do I feel the need to dye my hair pink, get a tattoo (ticked both those boxes a while back, thank you!!) or drive Route 66 on a Harley (but, now you come to mention it!?)

WHY CAN’T WE CELEBRATE THE SMALL WINS?

It’s not that I’m a party pooper but, I like to celebrate the little things. Who says we need to wait for a big occasion in order to celebrate? Why can’t we celebrate the small wins – the ‘little successes’ – that happen as we head towards the larger markers like birthdays, graduations, engagements and so on?

Well, I say we can, and we should. Why not shift the focus in your life onto the maximising even the smaller occasions? We often lament over the bad things that happen, blowing them up in our minds until they are larger than life, so why shouldn’t we shift some of that focus onto the positives? Yoga encourages us to live in the moment and, in the midst of our busy lives, it’s time to take that to heart and celebrate our small victories as and when they come our way.

LIFE IS NEVER SMOOTH SAILING

Life is never smooth sailing and when the sea is calm or the horizon breathtaking, it’s important to take a moment to just pause, reflect and feel grateful. Celebrations don’t have to be heaving parties where your floorboards shake and your fridge is emptied, sometimes they can just be intimate dinners, a well-deserved pamper session or a glorious laugh-filled catch up with old friends.

I love a mini moment celebration, which is why, when we heard that more people than ever were Googling ‘mini moment celebrations’ I couldn’t help but get involved, to try and spread the message far and wide – THIS IS LIFE, LET’S CELEBRATE.

How do I celebrate these mini moments though, I hear you ask. Well, I have a couple of suggestions…

LIGHT A CANDLE AND JUST PAUSE

Candles are synonymous with celebrations; we light them on a cake, set the scene at a dinner party and use them as table-centres at fancy events.

I love this quiet and simple way to just step out of the bustle for a moment, acknowledge the present and connect with yourself. It’s a calming ritual and one that marks the occasion in a mellow way.

Light candles around a bath or simply sit by one and just breathe for a little while.

CRACK OPEN THAT BOTTLE YOU’VE BEEN ‘SAVING’ AND WEAR THAT ‘BEST’ DRESS

We always seem to save the ‘nice stuff’ for a big occasion, but why not a smaller one?

It always feels like a celebration when you’re drinking a fancy bottle or wearing your best bib and tucker. We don’t need to save things for the huge moments in life, often it means we don’t really notice them anyway, sometimes really savouring the good things in a quieter moment always us to enjoy them more.

Plus, once you start saving something, no occasion ever feels big enough anyway.

So, splash on your favourite smell, put on that favourite outfit which has been languishing in your wardrobe and raise a glass to life…and to all it’s glorious muddlesome moments!