Iwas that person that you couldn’t hold back from a celebration - especially my own…. But since having a child and running a business, renovating a house, picking up my husband's socks - I’ve realised that my own celebration has gone to the bottom of the list. My birthday is a week before Christmas and so it’s just got further and further down the ‘to-do list’. It’s become a hassle rather than something to look forward to. And I think that’s a bit sad.

Spurred on I met up with some friends and we discussed the topic of celebration and how important it really is…Here’s a bit of science for you… Celebrations create mental markers that allow the brain to organise and recall joyful moments. They enrich our cognitive landscape and give the brain meaningful reference points. So when the end is nigh, these celebrations will be what you remember - NOT how many emails you blasted out over a lifetime.

So this is my message to you.. Throw yourself into the festive season, reframe and rename that ‘to-do list’ … all birthdays are big ones, simplify Christmas to the things that really matter, go out with your work mates. In fact just get together generally and celebrate love, friendship and achievement.

A celebration is as unique as you are. It doesn’t need an audience or elaborate planning; it can be as small as spending time in a place you love or treating yourself to learning something new. For me, it’s lounging in a sauna with my besties.

Just make sure you’re fully there with a smile on your face - you won’t regret it..