Take Time to Celebrate
I want to encourage you to take time to celebrate. A year ago, on my 60th birthday, I had a party to celebrate what I thought was the near completion of my first book, Finding Joy in the West: A Quest to Ride My Bike in All Fifty States. Sending my manuscript to my editor, Mari Ann, for a final run, warranted taking time to celebrate. (Click here to read that blog.)
I didn’t even have a publisher; still I took time to celebrate. I’m learning to celebrate milestones now because when I graduated from high school, I didn’t take time to celebrate. My summer job began the Monday after graduation. I would celebrate when I earned my bachelor’s degree. Before I graduated, however, I had already committed to a master’s program. Again, no time to celebrate. Then, I took my finals early because my teaching job required me to be in Georgia before the summer session ended.
So, the pattern of not celebrating milestones continued until I bought my first house. I had a party. Another party followed the completion of my doctorate. The same happened when I retired. Then, since my 60th birthday coincided with my manuscript submission, I celebrated.
This year has been so busy with promoting my first book, writing my second, posting blogs and newsletters, traveling and making future travel plans, that I didn’t want to take time to celebrate. I realize, though, that as mid-year approaches, it is good to celebrate accomplishments, then focus on goals for the second half of the year. So tonight, I will celebrate.
A year ago, my book didn’t even have a title. Now, it is available online and in a few bookstores. As I celebrate, I encourage you to look back one year, five years, or even ten. Look at what you have accomplished and take time to celebrate.
You’ve heard about my accomplishments. I’d love to hear about yours. Please email me or comment here.
Thanks for being a part of this journey!
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Joy M. Walker
June 26, 2025 @ 2:27 pm
You deserve to celebrate. Your accomplishments this past year are remarkable. I want to call you Doctor as that’s your title. As an author it might be good to use the doctor title in the future. I am so proud of all you have done and the responses of you book signings now means you in a select group and the world is in your hands. It may be hard to get the East book going but I know you well enough to say I will see my part of your journey and get read your second book.,With lots of love keep trucking! Ray
June 27, 2025 @ 5:39 am
Saying thank you Ray never seems enough. You are remarkable yourself. You are the only 95-year-old I know who not only reads blogs, but responds to them as well. I pray I get to be as internet savvy as you one day. You are truly an inspiration!