It’s almost that time of year when everyone takes a dose of crazy, runs around like a chicken with their head cut off, and does a lot of “should’ing.”
Ah, the holidays. They seem to bring out something in every one of us. And, it’s not always our best parts.
Before you are too busy to care about anything but fulfilling gift lists, Pinterest perfect dining tables and dishes, and Nana force-feeding you a third helping of her infamous mashed potatoes – I want to get you in the habit of celebrating wins.
You’re gonna need this muscle warmed up before you jump into the holiday chaos.
If you’re being honest with yourself – I’ve already had this discussion with myself in the mirror – it’s time to supercharge your self-esteem.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to take a victory lap.
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Why Celebrating Small Wins Builds Confidence, Resilience
Small wins are probably one of the most important aspects of making progress, finding motivation, and building confidence in our lives that get overlooked.
They are building blocks that help us live out our dreams and reach our goals.
Our brains are built to focus on the negative. So, that’s what the majority of us do. Our mistakes eat at us, our failures weigh us down, and we remember problems far more than positives and successes.
On a near daily basis, you and I say something mean to ourselves, ruminate on a mistake, and/or find a way to nitpick some aspect of our lives, only to determine we’re not good enough.
This happens both consciously and unconsciously.
The best way to counter this: notice the positives.
If you are just going from task to task, meeting to meeting without feeling – you are basically operating as a robot. Taking that moment to celebrate an achievement (even if it was just taking a bathroom break) and making yourself aware of the positive emotion you feel, tells your brain that “this is worth it. This is why I work so hard. I rock!”
This moment – while it seems small and inconsequential – is actually a big deal to your brain. Each of these small wins builds your confidence and self-esteem. Acknowledging your internal sense of satisfaction reminds you that you can and you did, builds hope that you will be successful again.
Let me repeat: your brain needs to acknowledge and experience that internal sense of satisfaction and pride. The specific thing you did well – passed a test, ran a race at a faster pace, or accomplished more than usual – will come, go, and eventually be forgotten.
However, that feeling of success gets locked in your memory and encourages you to do it again.
Newsflash: when you are confident and hopeful, your ability to focus improves naturally.
Don’t Wait for “Big Wins”
Most of us wait for what we consider “big wins.” Like when we reach our ultimate goal. What we don’t realize is that every step that we took toward that goal is a win. Every single step. Even if you consider it “small,” it’s a win that your brain needs to clock so that it stays motivated to keep moving forward.
(When you want to do something, when you are naturally motivated to do something, sometimes you use less mental energy.)
You have to remember that “small wins” are about making progress. Progress is not the same as the overall achievement or reaching your goal, however, progress is what gets us to the finish line.
So, give yourself credit for the “small stuff.” Take a moment to appreciate your effort to get to an appointment on time, knocking out your grocery shopping, or remembering that thing you always forget to bring with you.
You don’t have to shout from the rooftops or make a post on social media. (I mean, you can if you want. We also get positive vibes when we receive external praise for the little things.)
Just this morning, as I was writing this, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and reminded myself that I’m a freaking genius. Am I really a genius? Probably not. But my brain sure liked hearing it and it gave me that extra zing I needed to open up my laptop and get to work.
How to Acknowledge Your Achievements?
Remember, small wins are the defining factor in our ability to get to the “big win.”
Celebrating small wins doesn’t have to be a big show. Simply silently taking a moment to acknowledge your win is enough for your brain to be reminded that you can and you did. It’s a matter of building that habit and taking the time to follow through.
First, you need to notice your small win. You know what counts?
Everything!
Did you vacuum your living room? Winning!
Did you write an email to a potential client? Nailed it!
What about taking your dog for a walk today? Jackpot!
How to celebrate:
- Sit still with your eyes closed, think about your win, and savor it.
- Text your bestie that you are doing a victory dance. (Encourage them to do the same.)
- Make a note on your calendar.
- Grab a small bite of something sweet.
- Tell yourself this is one of many.
