A Day for Getting Up

National Get Up Day! Intriguing, isn’t it? But this is certainly one of the most important days to be celebrated in the year, if you understand the spirit of it. February 1 is earmarked for National Get Up Day which has its origins in the sport of skating. It denotes the official closure of the national skating month of January and the unification of worldwide skating communities. Olympic figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton introduced the idea during an appearance on national television in 2016. The US Figure Skating Association has the motto, “Get Up is about being fearless in the face of falling.” As part of the opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games opening in South Korea, the world was encouraged to share stories about getting up.

The Need to Get Up

One of the crucial life lessons that each skater learns from his sport is that of getting back up when she falls. This day, therefore, is not just about skating, but about celebrating the spirit of upliftment which applies to all aspects of our life. Stories, audio-visual material and memorabilia are used in social media and other forums to inspire people to be resilient, persevere and act with fortitude in the face of adversity.

Skaters often stumble and fall. But they learn early on to rise up with dignity and continue the sport. Similarly, we all must remember to get up when we stumble. We all have goals in life that we pursue. But the path to the goal is seldom laden with flowers, it is often ridden with thorns. Failures happen and as the adage goes are stepping stones to success. So, we must take these in our stride. Maybe unknowingly we are inspiring others to achieve their goals too through our examples. Keep on encouraging yourself and others – this is the underlying message of the Day. Be thankful for the mistakes and failures! Yes, these are what goes on to make the winner that you eventually become. But what is important is to not give up, to not stop trying.

How to celebrate National Get Up Day

• Share your own experience and also spread the message on social media

You could be talking/writing about any moment in life where you felt like you totally failed, but rather than giving up, you kept going. 

• Inspire others to Get Up

The purpose of you sharing your getting up experience should be to inspire others to do the same. Whether you choose to do it by posting on social media or personally reaching out to friends who could use some motivation boost, just be sure to inspire those in your life to keep going.

• You can go ice skating

Ice skating is where the idea of the Day started. So, if possible, go skate to celebrate the occasion. Mind you, you must fall down but always get up and keep playing!

• Write about what the day really means to you.
• Share knowledge that will brighten somebody’s day.