Everyone Needs a Celebrator

Last Wednesday morning, I posted a reel before a full day of clients.

It was a simple moment—my nail tech and friend, Tommy, celebrating my engagement in the way only he can. I didn’t overthink it. I just shared it.

In between sessions, I noticed it was getting a little traction. That night at 8:43 pm, I texted my kids in our family chat:

“The reel has 283K views.”

Twenty-five minutes later, Kendall replied:
“110,000 more since your last text.”

By Sunday afternoon, when I sat down to write this, the reel had reached over 13 million views.

It’s been exciting—and honestly, a little overwhelming.

If I’m being honest, I was close to giving up on social media altogether. Creating reels takes time, energy, and vulnerability. Most days, the reward looks like 300 views and 6 likes—usually from Kendall, my best friend, and me. As a small business owner and online creator, this kind of moment is what you hope for… and then you’re left wondering, What do I do with it now?

Yes, there was growth.
On Instagram, I went from a few hundred followers to around 860.
On Facebook, the growth surprised me even more—from about 200 followers to over 6,000.

Naturally, I started asking the same question everyone asks: Why did this go viral?

(Quick definition: “viral” content spreads rapidly and widely beyond your usual audience—because people feel something when they see it and want to share it.)

I read and responded to almost every comment—except the hateful ones. (There were a few, mostly from men. There always are.) But the overwhelming majority were kind, encouraging, and joyful. Words like precious and wholesome kept showing up.

One comment stood out more than any other:

“Everyone needs a Tommy in their life.”

I agree.
But what people were really responding to wasn’t Tommy specifically—it was what he represents.

So here’s the word I’m using:

Everyone needs a Celebrator.

A Celebrator is someone who doesn’t hesitate to be happy for you.
They encourage you out loud.
They don’t compete.
They don’t minimize your joy.
They celebrate it.

And this matters deeply in midlife.

As seasons change, many women find their circles getting smaller. Friendships shift. Life gets quieter. We don’t need a crowd—we need a few people who are real, supportive, and genuinely happy when good things happen to us.

So here’s the question I want you to reflect on:

Who are the Celebrators in your life?

And if you don’t have one right now, maybe 2026 is the year you intentionally look for one.

I’ll add one more thought.

I think this reel went viral because people are hungry for something good. Something happy. Something wholesome. A reminder that kindness and encouragement still exist in a world that often feels heavy.

So now I’m curious:

Why do you think this reel resonated with so many people?
Reply or comment—I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

And one final question I’ll save for another day:

Are you being a Celebrator for the people in your circle?