This week, my heart is full as I celebrate my son Nico’s 20th birthday. Twenty years of watching him grow into his own light, his own purpose, his own path. As a mother, I’ve learned that one of the greatest gifts we can give our children—and really, anyone in our lives—is to celebrate who they are, not just what they do.
In a world quick to point out flaws and focus on the negative, choosing to accentuate the positive in others is a radical act of love. Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson’s research on positive emotions shows that when we highlight the good, it doesn’t just make someone feel better in the moment—it actually broadens their awareness and helps build long-term resilience and stronger relationships (Fredrickson, 2001). Neuroscience research from UC Davis found that gratitude practices, like noticing and expressing appreciation, improve sleep, reduce stress, and increase happiness over time (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). And in the workplace, Gallup reports that employees who regularly receive recognition and praise are more engaged, more productive, and significantly less likely to burn out (Gallup, 2016).
When we notice what is good, strong, or beautiful in someone, we’re not just reflecting their light back to them—we’re helping them see it more clearly themselves. Celebration is more than birthdays and milestones. It’s in the everyday moments: a kind gesture, a resilient choice, a spark of creativity, or simply the courage to keep going. By pausing to acknowledge these things, we remind each other that we are more than our struggles—we are possibility, promise, and purpose in motion.
So today, I celebrate Nico. I celebrate his humor, his curiosity, his resilience, and the way he continues to teach me what it means to grow.
Pause & Reflect: What can you celebrate about yourself—or someone you work with, love, or walk alongside?
Here are three gentle steps you can take today:
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Pause and Notice – Take one mindful breath, then name one quality or moment you appreciate in yourself or another.
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Express It – Share your recognition. Write it down, speak it aloud, or send a short message of appreciation.
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Repeat and Reinforce – Make it a daily habit. The more we celebrate, the more our brains are rewired to see hope, connection, and possibility.
Celebrating others isn’t just kindness—it’s a leadership skill, a parenting tool, and a practice of love that shapes cultures, families, and teams.
And here’s the beautiful truth: every time you celebrate someone else, you strengthen your own capacity for joy and resilience. By pausing to honor the good, we create ripples of hope that go far beyond the moment—and those ripples begin with us.