Are you Celebrating??

It’s almost graduation! I’ve been in higher education for 30 years (yes, I started when I was 12) so I’ve been to A LOT of graduation ceremonies…which makes them less celebration and more work commitment. Until now….

That’s right…I’m celebrating my youngest as she walks across the stage to receive her Bachelor’s degree. CAN. NOT. BELIEVE. IT.  And I am so very proud of her. AND people keep congratulating me? Why? It’s her accomplishment. She did the work, wrote the papers, and studied. As I contemplated this phenomenon of people congratulating me, I thought, “What have I done to set her up for success?”

Interesting…. My brain rewound to kindergarten. We had flash cards with vocabulary words. Ya know, the difference between their and there, how to spell through. Fun times. Math word problems. The kids always saved the word problems for me. Thanks. Soccer practice and first communion, Halloween costumes and Christmas gifts, haircuts and ear piercings. What have I done to deserve congratulations? Besides keeping her alive, I instilled in her the value of education AND how to go about getting said education.

I have never in her 22 years celebrated any of these “mom” things. It’s just the stuff of parenting. The stuff you “have” to do. It’s expected. And guess what?

I have been SO VERY WRONG.

When you celebrate—even small wins—your brain releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter of motivation and pleasure. Like when you eat pizza, fall in love, or find a parking spot on the first try, you get a little “happy dose” from the brain.

But here’s the trick:  When you don’t pause to celebrate, your brain doesn’t receive the memo that what you did was worth repeating. No dopamine hit = no motivation loop.

And celebrating the SMALL WINS reminds us of everything we are doing, for our kids, our loved ones, and MOST importantly, ourselves. When is the last time (if ever?) you celebrated getting to work on time NOT NAKED? I notice people saying, “Ugh, barely made it today.” Or, better yet, picking out the things they DID NOT do – “I’m here, but the hair is definitely NOT clean.”  STOP. JUST STOP!

CELEBRATE INSTEAD!!

Celebration wires the brain for resilience. It tells your nervous system, “Hey, we’re not just surviving—we’re thriving!” And celebration buffers the stress response, giving your overworked amygdala (your inner panic button) a vacation. These tiny moments are not frivolous, they are positive experiences for your brain. They reinforce progress, strengthen habits, and help you stay in the game with more peace and less stress.

In a nutshell:

• Celebration triggers dopamine, which boosts motivation.
• Your brain learns through rewards, not just effort.
• Micro-celebrations help build emotional endurance.
• Pizza is practically a neuroscience tool.

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Prescription for Celebration

• Pick THREE things that seem like mundane, “have tos”, that everyone expects you to do. THEN: CELEBRATE THEM!  

How?

• Give yourself a little High-five in the mirror
• Do a little celebration dance in your kitchen
• Look yourself in the EYE in the MIRROR and say, “Yes to you! Good job!

Make it a moment. Your brain will thank you by wanting to do it again.

Because you, my friend, are not a robot. You are a glittering constellation of electrical impulses wrapped in skin, and you deserve to celebrate EVERYTHING!

With love, science, and a party hat,

Kathleen