Today’s woman goes into business for a variety of reasons: the desire to control her financial destiny, the need for autonomy, or perhaps the belief that her service or product will potentially enhance the current marketplace or make the world a better place.

For some, it took many years of planning and preparation before hanging out the “open for business” shingle. For others, this way of life came about “on the fly”. The result of being unexpectedly downsized and uprooted from a day job in the corporate arena.

Though the reasons for taking the entrepreneurial plunge may vary, there’s one undeniable constant: In the words of Donna Summers, “You work hard for the money!”

Let's celebrate!

Nell Merlino, founder of the Make Mine a $Million project, always encourages women to celebrate our successes, and she encourages us to truly celebrate, to truly mark a passage of time, and to do so before other things come in like paying the bills, taking care of business, minding the children, and letting a special moment pass.

We deserve to celebrate: we deserve to be thankful and to be thoughtful and to honor our lives.

So let's celebrate today.

Plan a celebration to toast your achievements and those of others, to express gratitude and appreciation for your relationships at home and at work, and to be joyful in life.

Things to celebrate include:

As human beings, we tend to forget our memories, victories, or happy times unless they are physically present in some form.

For example, when we place photos of our loved ones in prominent places, we are constantly reminded of our relationships with them. When we look at a ring or other piece of treasured jewelry, we are always reminded of how that piece came into our life.

Each time you engage in a project, or a goal, or a success, or an experience that is meaningful to you -- truly meaningful -- keep a reminder of it somewhere prominent, such as an altar in your home, or in your entryway, or in your living room.