Whether Happy or Sad, Celebrations are Necessary
November 9, 2016
By Brian Maynor
Celebrations are nothing new or unexpected during the holiday season, and while they are a perfect setting for relaxed fun and frivolity, there is more going on under the surface.
Celebrations serve a very productive purpose.
Think about every milestone in your personal life and how you recognize it. Chances are it’s with some sort of celebration. Companies also celebrate milestones, but they tend to center around positive events like anniversaries, promotions and other industry achievements.
These events certainly deserve to be celebrated, but now we are seeing companies use celebrations to help boost morale through challenging times as well. Here are some of the reasons this idea actually works:
1. Celebrations bring people together. When facing a daunting challenge or difficult situation isolation usually comes hand-in-hand. We all tend to turn inward and limit our interactions with others as a way of focusing, but segregating yourself can also make the situation harder to manage. With celebrations, even sad ones, when we come together we create a collective emotional release.
2. Celebrations mark the end as well as the beginning. This is true for all celebrations, happy or sad. With happy celebrations it’s easy to focus on the future and all of the possibilities ahead in a joyous way, whereas sad celebrations tend to focus more on the end. While it is helpful and necessary to acknowledge the ending of one situation, during sad celebrations extra effort may be needed to remember there is still a future full of possibilities ahead, it just may take longer to get there.
3. Celebrations start the healing process. Just like funerals and wakes, the hard part tends to come after the celebrations are over. During the moment it’s easier to forget or stay preoccupied, but afterwards there is nothing to distract from dealing with the situation. The same is true at work when dealing with difficult or sad transitions. We may leave a celebration feeling uplifted with a renewed sense of camaraderie, but there will be a lot of hard work ahead.
The idea of hosting a ‘sad celebration’ during struggles at work may seem oxymoronic at first, but when you stop to compare it to other sad life situations it really isn’t. In order to process we all need time alone and time together as a group, and what better way to bring a group of people together than with a celebration. They don’t have to be joyous with laughing and champagne to engender goodwill and focus on the possibilities still ahead.
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I am always curious to hear from you and what you see in the workplace. Send your questions, comments and pet peeves to [email protected]. Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
