AOK Today #18 - Celebrate a mate

AOK Today: Celebrate an accomplishment of a friend

"Stop and smell the roses" (together) - Walter Hagen (and me)

How It Works: Let's be honest, most of us don’t have a good plan to celebrate little wins (or even big ones). We have normalised shifting goalposts - without even knowing that we're doing it - moving right onto chasing that next target. Even consciously we might decide it's inefficient to briefly savour our accomplishment. The opposite is true - celebrating even small wins stimulates dopamine release in the brain, which reinforces the learning experience and strengthens our sense of connection to those who helped us get there. Often big ambitions require perseverance over a long time - these little dopamine hits are important! When celebrating a friend, we are giving them permission to go through this process, as well as showing them that we're paying attention, value and care about them. The act of savouring (mindfully attending to the experience of pleasure) boosts our wellbeing and sends us on an upward spiral of happiness. What a gift for a mate! Pop over to their house, give them a card, make a memento, plan a night out - whatever works!

Cost: Free (or whatever you choose to spend on a gift)

Why I love it: Being able to prolong and intensify a loved one's happiness feels magical! Magic on tap.

Happy Giving |XOX|