Let’s celebrate a new holiday — Groundhog Day — every February 2nd!

Did you know that Groundhog Day is a real thing?

Yes, there really is an annual ceremony in Punxsutawney where they produce a groundhog called Phil.

Did you also know that Groundhog Day is today, February 2nd?

“OK”, I hear you protest, “But why celebrate Groundhog Day as a holiday? Doesn’t Groundhog Day mean a day in which events are being repeated so everything is boring and meaningless? Like in lockdown! Why celebrate that?”

I put it to you that this is not the real meaning of the movie, Groundhog Day.

For this film is philosophy masquerading as comedy — a bit like another favourite of mine, The Good Place.

I’ve written elsewhere about what I take to me the deep philosophical message of Groundhog Day — you can find it here — Groundhog Day and Stoicism

But in this article I want to share with you the reason why I think we should celebrate Groundhog Day as a holiday. It’s because I think that if we did, we might have a really nice day — like I have today, the first day I have tried it.

The idea of someone being stuck in a time loop and repeating everything forever is not entirely new. In fact the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche came up with a rather similar notion in his theory of Eternal Recurrence. The idea of Nietzsche’s theory is is that literally relive every moment of your life again, for all eternity. It’s one of those thoughts that can concentrate the mind wonderfully.

You might like to try this “Eternal Recurrence/Groundhog Day” thought experiment out for yourself.

The Groundhog Day Thought Experiment

Design a day to relive for all eternity.

Who would you be with, where would you be what would you do?

I’ve often asked clients and students to jot down how they would spend Groundhog Day.

It great at helping people clarify their values.

But why leave it at that? Why not actually live your Groundhog Day?

And when would be better to do it than on the actual Groundhog Day, February 2nd.