We throw baby showers and bridal showers to celebrate these moments in the lives of our friends, but why not celebrate our friends’ accomplishments with a Success Shower?
You shouldn’t have to be getting married or having a baby in order to be celebrated.
But as a society, we seem to only glorify that version of success – especially once we’re in our twenties and thirties.
What about landing a new job? Launching a brand? Moving somewhere new? A job promotion? Booking a trip? Graduating grad school? Running a marathon? Leaving a toxic relationship? Joining a new kickboxing gym?
Why can’t we celebrate our friends for going after their goals and dreams or making positive changes, whatever that looks like for us – big or small.
It reminds me of this episode of Sex and The City, “A Woman’s Right To Shoes” where Carrie Bradshaw talks about how much she spent on a friend through her getting married and having a kid, but for her who is single, hasn’t received anything.
“Think about it. If you are single, after graduation, there isn’t one occasion where people celebrate you… I’m talking about the single gal. Hallmark doesn’t make a “Congratulations, you didn’t marry the wrong guy” card. And where’s the flatware for going on vacation alone?”
What is a success shower?
This concept comes from Brooke Azzaro on TikTok. She and her friends threw a “success shower” with the intention to celebrate each other’s accomplishments.
They used the same concepts from a Bridal or Baby Shower with a spin, all aimed at celebrating us for more than just getting hitched and having a baby.
One woman in the comment section says, “From a childless unmarried 30 year old- thank you for this.”
Brooke responded with, “Life is so much more than just babies & weddings! Even though they’re AMAZING, there are other things in a woman’s life that deserve a party, too.”
@brookeazzaro cheers to my friends and their accomplishments 🥳 #successshower #nyc #uws ♬ Just a Cloud Away – Pharrell Williams
So, how can we plan a success shower for our friends?
1. Bring together your supportive friends
The best kind of friends are the ones who can root you on without making it a competition, or make you feel bad about how you define success in your life.
Bring together friends who are the type of people to cheer you on and want to celebrate you!
There’s enough room for us all to be successful, in whatever that looks for us – even if it’s “non-traditional.”
2. Celebrate everyone at once
There are multiple ways you could go about this. You could celebrate everyone all at once, or do mini success parties for each of your friends individually.
But, I think it’s more powerful to celebrate all your besties at once – and to acknowledge how much everyone is doing in life, even if it’s just in small ways. We’re all doing amazing things, even if it’s not crazy big.
3. Decorate the space
Any good party has a little bit of decor! Make a sign that says “Success Shower” or something along those lines.
Get out those streamers, and party supplies. We’re going all-in on this party! Add some flowers, and create a fun ambiance for your friends.
4. Bring the good food
You can do this potluck style, or make it themed! We love any excuse to do a charcuterie board.
Make it super elevated with a custom cake that says something like, “to the baddies” or “who run the world?”
5. Plan success-themed activities
You can do traditional shower activities and find ideas on Pinterest, but get creative to make it more on-theme.
For example, Brooke’s friends played, “Guess the bad bitch” where people had to guess who’s baby picture belonged to who.
And another activity they did was a White Elephant exchange, but with a women empowerment theme. You could get each other stationery, candles, or make it based on that person’s accomplishment.
You could do a raffle or play boss-themed jeopardy. You can use this Bridal shower list to get some ideas!
6. Make a presentation
Time to bust out the Powerpoint!
Brooke says they made a presentation “announcing” each person’s accomplishments.
Again, these accomplishments don’t have to be big. It’s less about achievement and more about celebrating each other’s wins.
Allow time for everyone to be seen, and to feel acknowledged for how far they’ve come.
7. Create a playlist
We need all the bad bitch energy for this ambiance! Find or curate a playlist, like this Confidence Boost or this Boss B*tch playlist on Spotify.
Remember, the point of making a party out of it is for everyone to leave feeling good about themselves – and supportive of each other. Create space for everyone to feel valued without comparing each other’s wins. Everyone is worth being celebrated!
Would you plan a “Success Shower” and what games would you play?
