Celebrating Through the Hard Times

It seems like everywhere you turn these days there's bad news starting us in the face with all the natural disasters and acts of violence and terrorism. This world is so full of hatred and darkness and most days it can consume me if I allow it to. I've began to struggle with anxiety in the last year and I contribute it to the ugliness of the world. Sometimes the feelings of anxiety hit me while I'm standing in the middle of the aisle at Target, trying to pick out new make up or a pretty new outfit. Sometimes it hits me while i'm in my car, listening to my favorite music on the way to pick my son up from school. The thing is anxiety shows up when you least expect it and sometimes, for a reason I can't understand.



I've been raised to trust my instincts and get myself out of any situation that doesn't feel right so I abandon my Target shopping trip, leaving everything right there in the middle of the store. Sometimes I talk myself through it and drive to my son's school and park and wait on him to get out. Usually focusing on my breathing helps but it's not a cure all to this horrible thing that I allow to creep in and take control of me. My anxiety isn't always brought on by an event happening in the moment; i've never been in any situation where violence was being used. Maybe that's blessed or lucky, i'm not sure but I do know that this world seems like a scary, mean place lately and we hear more about the bad than the good. It makes it hard to feel like celebrating when there's so much devastation going on but I believe that we need to still celebrate because it feels like a good way to fight back; to say that we aren't giving up and we aren't backing down.

I'm celebrating through my anxiety and through my fears because life is so worth living and it's worth living happily. I have to celebrate for my son. I have to celebrate for my husband and our parents. I have to celebrate for my nephew because life is too short not to. Because I believe that we need to add to the love and goodness of this world, not to give into our anxieties and fears and the meanness of the world. I'm not saying we shouldn't be vigilant or grieve when horrible things happen, we should, it's how we heal but we can not let it be the thief of our joy.

I want to laugh and snuggle and have more Tuesday night pizza nights with friends and family in our pajamas in the middle of a messy home. I want to lay in the floor and get covered in kisses from my puppy. I want breakfast dates with my husband on Saturday mornings to our favorite local Farmer's Table. I want to celebrate my son's successes and my nephew's birthdays. I want to step outside of my comfort zone and meet new people, learn new things and hear their stories. So from now on, when the anxiety creeps up on me, i'm going to look it in the face and tell it, "not today" because life is worth celebrating and I truly believe in creating a life you love so I'm going to do just that.

As we start a new year, I hope we do remain vigilant and that we do say a silent prayer for all those going through hard times. I hope we can give a little extra time or money when we have it and lend a helping hand when someone needs it but most of all, I hope we don't lose our joy and that we keep celebrating and spreading love and cheer because the hate and anger in the world can not win. There's such beauty and goodness in the world and I want to celebrate that.

What are you celebrating in your life today?


In case you need something to celebrate, I thought i'd share some fun national holidays for the rest of this month.

January National Celebration Days

I'll continue to share them each month here, as well. Feel free to participate in as many as you'd like and share them with me on Instagram using the hashtag #celebratewithpeaches.

I look forward to celebrating with you.