I shut my laptop signifying the end of a long and busy week. I was mentally and physically exhausted from juggling all the requirements thrown my way but was determined to do something to celebrate. Amongst the week’s hustle, I had signed my first licensing deal with a major distributor. I could have easily put off recognizing myself for not wanting to do yet another thing that evening, before crawling into bed, but I knew acknowledging this high point amongst the daily mundane was important.
So often we put off celebrating our wins as though they are an optional task to complete - not realizing how critical it is for our mental well-being to stop and appreciate that we have done something meaningful. We face very real challenges every day, which makes it all the more important to celebrate the happy moments as well.
Why is celebrating your wins so important?
Celebrating achievements can boost your confidence and increase your motivation to achieve more in both your work and personal life. Acknowledging your wins are not only for you but those in support of you - those cheering you on, those who want to see you win.
Stopping to take note of the wins also allows you the opportunity to reflect. Maybe you faced adversity on your road to success - you grew strength in key areas overcoming those hurdles that will set you up well for the next hill you will no doubt need to climb.
Celebrating the Good During Bleak Times.
At the height of the pandemic, everyone was on edge not knowing exactly what would happen to our families, friends or ourselves. Day to day life as we knew it came to a halt as we heard one story after the next of people losing their lives to the disease. Along with the stock market crash and other impacts, there wasn’t much to celebrate. Yet another unaccounted for toll of the pandemic was the widespread decline in mental health on numerous fronts. We were all reeling from information overload and sadness.
Slowly as time progressed, many set aside time daily to celebrate and bring awareness to our first responders - medical personnel, Fire & EMS, service industry workers, etc. I distinctly remember watching videos and getting chills as we called a daily accounting for those standing directly in the line of danger to keep our world going. This celebration, while surrounded by so much loss, provided hope that maybe one day we’d all be together again.
Celebrating your wins allows for connection.
Have you ever attended a conference or workshop where you heard the stories from a speaker whose tenacity to overcome misfortune being used to catapult them to immense success? Even if you could not readily apply their story to your life, you may, like me, left the session feeling like you could take on the world. That is one of the beauties of allowing others to share in your triumphs - maybe your story lights a path for others to follow on their own road to success.
You don’t always need to acknowledge your success or wins in an extravagant way - merely stopping to notice the moment and patting yourself on the back could suffice. Take into account what made that moment happen and figure out ways to use that winning strategy in other adaptations.
Life will certainly have moments that knock the air out of your chest - that is why it is so important to savor the good also, no matter how small.
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