Welcome to Celebrate Your Life
By Nicola Dela-Croix
You are uniquely special. Your life matters. And, when you’re gone, it just won’t be the same here without you…
In my role as a Funeral Celebrant, I witnessed grieving families and friends express their sense of loss for someone they knew and loved. And as we celebrated that person’s life – as all the stories, tears, love, laughter and pride filled the room and threatened to burst through the ceiling – I always looked at the coffin and thought to myself… did this person know how uniquely special they were? Did they appreciate how much their life mattered to other people? Did they understand the difference they made, the joy they brought and all the positive memories they’ve left behind?
Possibly not. I think most of us would be surprised and moved by such a reaction – the positive impact we’ve had on others from the life we’ve left behind. So wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all gain a sense of our own worth while we’re still here? To appreciate how much our existence matters. To use that knowledge to give us the confidence to live our lives to their fullest and most meaningful? And to have a life story we can pass on to our loved ones after we’ve gone?
I think it would be incredible! Not just for us, but for the people around us, and for the world we contribute to. Imagine the positivity, the happiness, the sense of purpose and contentment. No more comparing ourselves or trying to become something we’re not – just a new-found self-respect, an appreciation for others and for life itself.
That’s why I’ve created ‘Celebrate Your Life’…
‘Celebrate Your Life’ is a positive and inspiring process designed to help you re-connect with the extraordinary person you are and how much your life matters. It provides the opportunity for you to take stock, appreciate and capture the story of your life so far, focus on where you want the rest of your life to take you, and the positive legacy you can leave behind.
Whatever stage your life is at ’Celebrate Your Life’ provides a positive sense of self-worth and direction, leaving you feeling uplifted, valued, in love with life and ready to make the most of your precious years. AND you’ll capture your life story, which you can pass on to your loved ones and use to form part of your own farewell when the time comes. Which is why, as well completing this workshop on its own, you have a perfect follow-up workshop – ‘Remember Me’, to do afterwards, if you wish.
What’s it all about?
Based on my knowledge and experiences of creating hundreds of life celebrations, I’ve designed this workshop to highlight your worth, to acknowledge what you’ve contributed to the world, and to the lives of others, so far. Then we’ll be using that information to guide and inspire you – setting you on a positive course for the years you have left and the legacy you’ll leave behind. And not only does the information you gather here create a nostalgic, inspirational ‘life map’ for you, it can also be presented as a memento to your loved-ones, who would, I’m sure, appreciate your own perspective on ‘you’ - the person they know and love. And it will become a treasure, one that can help form the basis of your own life celebration when the time comes. That’s the beauty of this workshop – it just keeps on giving!
Celebrate ‘Your’ Life… the clue is in the title. We have to get personal and put you under the spotlight! Over six different stages you’ll have the opportunity to capture the story of your life in words, images and music, recognise your achievements, celebrate your uniqueness, appreciate your precious place in the world and in the lives of others, as well as where you go next. Those are big subjects and you are totally in control of how much you wish to reflect on and how long you take to do it.
The six stages we’ll go through are...
We all have our own story to tell, and we begin by drawing an outline of your unique life so far – where you’ve come from, where you are now and all the events and experiences in-between. Plus inspiration from the life stories of others and ideas for how to capture the information you’ll be gathering at each stage.
You’ve not been alone in your story and Part Two is all about the people who have shared in the journey of your life, lived alongside you, and how meaningful they have been. Plus the significance of ancestors and the people keeping our memory alive in the future.
We look at the good, the proud, the challenging, and the eventful moments in your life that have been memorable to you. We reflect on why they mattered, what their impact has been and what you’ve learnt from them, as well as reflect on other eventful lives.
What music has featured in the soundtrack to your life? What photographs have best captured you and your story? What prized possessions could you never be parted from? We’ll look at these all-important collections in Part Four and how they fit into the story of your life.
You are a one-off, never-to-be-repeated individual. And that incredible fact is something to celebrate. So here we look at what sets you apart; from how you look and behave, to your personality, qualities and values. We also get an outside perspective and look at which unique individuals have inspired you.
In our final part we highlight what this journey through your life story has uncovered, what you’ve learnt from it and how you might like to share that wisdom. We look ahead to the years to come and focus on what you’d like to do more of, and what sort of legacy you’ll leave behind’.
What do I get out of it?
By the end of the course you’ll have:
• An appreciation for the unique individual you are, your valuable place in the world and in the lives of others.
• All the information and inspiration you need to capture your own life story, as well as form new goals and aspirations for the future.
• Ideas for how you’d like to pass your story on and what you want your legacy to be.
• A clear direction and confidence to make the most of the years you have left.
• Enjoyed an uplifting, life-affirming day, in a welcoming, friendly environment.
• Shared stories and experiences of our colourful lives, and what it means to be human.
Who is it for?
Everyone! There are no barriers to this workshop whatsoever. You don’t need to fit a certain criteria, or tick particular boxes. If you are a human being with a life story and hopes for the future, then you will benefit in a positive way. You can be 20 or 90, it doesn’t matter. ‘Celebrate Your Life’ is as unique as you are and everyone is welcome.
All you need is a willingness to step into the spotlight – to look at the unique individual you are, your value in the world and what you want to do with the precious years ahead of you. ‘Celebrate Your Life’ can also be especially helpful if you are in need of a confidence boost – perhaps you’ve lost your spark or lack direction. It can help you find ways to make changes in life, or adapt to changes forced upon you. It can also inspire you if you’re entering a new phase or wondering what to focus on next.