Make It Miraculous. Be a Celebrator.

Watch the video

Listen to the Podcast

It’s December 3.

It’s cold, it’s damp and it’s dark but it’s the most special time of the year. Why? It’s the holiday season. What does that mean? I don’t know about you but I’m working flat out until December 21.

It’s the holiday season because we’ve decided that’s what this time of the year is. We’ve decided that we’ll buy each other gifts and throw each other parties. We’ll salute the new year. We’ll show grace and goodwill to all. We’ll put up the lights and put up with the music. And if we’re really lucky, we’ll get what we’re dreaming of – a snowy December 25.

The real reason for our buoyant mood is the consciousness of miracles that’s baked into our brains. This is the month that lifts our spirits because the icing on the cake is so bright we have to notice it. We all become celebrators.

A celebrator is someone who habitually proclaims their appreciation about an event. A celebrator is someone who praises others widely and champions their success. A celebrator is someone who commemorates the moment with a party, a ceremony and an uninhibited good time.

In short, a celebrator is someone that we all want to be around because she or he is miraculous – no matter what time of the year it is. My definition of miraculous is: delightfully unexpected, or amazingly pleasurable, or fabulously beautiful, or heartwarmingly friendly or marvelously useful, or reassuringly consistent.

Here are just a few of my miraculous things:

• A freshly squeezed glass of Clementine juice that my miraculous wife just handed me.
• The Apple iPhone and Macbook that I produced this work on.
• My mental and physical vitality.
• The New York Times
• My friends, clients, business partners, supporters, listeners and viewers
• Toronto
• Canadian healthcare – I’m serious. It saved my life.
• HBO, AMC and Showtime
• YouTube
• Terroni’s Pizza and my wife’s cedar plank salmon
• The freedom to recreate myself in every conversation with every person.
• Lagavulin Single malt Scotch
• The Greek Islands
• My Canada Goose Jacket that keeps me warm when it’s cold outside.
• Every opportunity to make friends and influence people, especially when I’m being paid for the privilege.

So what does it take for you to be someone else’s miraculous thing? Here are Lipkin’s Seven Ways To Make It Miraculous:

1. Intend to make it miraculous.
2. Communicate your intentions.
3. Do something miraculous – big or small.
4. Learn how to make it better.
5. Give others pleasure.
6. Train to be miraculous.
7. Build your community.

That’s it from me. Make it a miraculous season, just like every other one.