Most of us like to party, New Year is as good a reason as any other to have a wonderful get together with friends and family, celebrate the ending of one year and the hopeful beginning of another.  Of course, for most of us, a New Year's party only lasts for one evening, and it quickly forgotten.  Yet for some these celebrations have a deeper meaning.  Those who choose to make serious New Year resolutions, for example, take a more serious look at the upcoming year.  By refusing to simply live into the day and instead approaching the next year as a blank canvas, an opportunity to improve, or simply as a time of heightened awareness of one's own failures, flaws, as well as dreams and skills, the party, New Year celebration, or dinner event is all the more a marked turning point.

It is no wonder then that many a New Year's party becomes a carefully orchestrated event, complete with special attention down to the last detail of food, fun, and the guest list.  Additionally, quite often spiritual aspects factor into the celebrations as well.  For example, depending on the faith of the celebrants, very often everyone around the room will name something from the old year for which they are very grateful.  This could be a learning opportunity, a new friendship, perhaps a hard time that left them stronger than before, or maybe something as simple as a blessing that helps them to appreciate all their other blessings so much more.  At the same time the party, New Year celebration, or whatever else one might wish to call the occasion, also becomes an opportunity to forge or reaffirm New Year resolutions.  These in and of themselves become a reason to celebrate along the way, and it is not uncommon to see little parties occur throughout the year. For anyone who likes to commemorate the little victories in life with a small party, New Year does not have to end on January 1st.  As a matter of fact, there are all kinds of reasons to celebrate.

For example, have you decided to go smoke free in the New Year, and have managed to stop sucking on your cancer sticks for an entire week?  Or has it been a whole month?  This calls for a party!  What about your resolution to lay off the candy bars and cheese crackers and instead snack on carrots and celery sticks?  Have you been able to forego the pre-packaged high fat, high sugar convenience foods for the sake of raw vegetables and rice cakes?  If so, a little celebration is in order. What about your resolution to read more, watch less television, spend more time with the family, save some money, get to know your neighbors, play golf more often with your dad, or go to church or synagogue every week?

If you have worked hard to keep these promises you made to yourself, it is definitely time to party! New Year may only come around once a year, but that does not mean that you cannot reward yourself for the little victories along the way to the next one!  As a matter of fact, if you recognize your hard work, celebrate your efforts, reward your victories, then your self confidence will soar and you will be able to keep up the work even when things get hard and the novelty of the resolution wears off. 

When you find yourself tempted at three in the morning to reach for the cheese doodles it is much easier to instead reach for a carrot if you are comfortable with the way you have rewarded yourself for your success thus far; if however, your accomplishments have gone by the wayside and have even not so much as registered as small blip on your own radar, it will be next to impossible to keep your hand out of that bag!  So go ahead, throw yourself the perfect party, and recognize yourself for the amazing job you are doing!