Are you celebrating enough? Or are you like me, focusing on the mistakes and failures instead of the wins. Not only do I focus on these mistakes, I often blow them out of proportion. It got to the point that I wasn’t even registering big successes or wins. When I received the galley proof of my book, I simply said, “okay, time for the next step in the process”. Then my editor called screaming with joy and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t excited. Of course, her excitement built up my excitement about this truly huge accomplishment.
I wasn’t celebrating enough. I needed to find ways to pause and enjoy a victory- and not just the “big stuff”. Think about all those small wins you have in a day or a week. Do you even acknowledge them as a win or do you gloss over them while hunting for a mistake to ruminate upon?
That’s why I created my Selfie High Five Board! Yes, it may seem silly but it has made a big difference. Working alone in my office all day, I didn’t have someone to celebrate with. So I created a place to give myself a high five. And more importantly, a place to record big and small victories. Now I’m looking for wins to add to the wall instead of looking for mistakes.
It’s impossible to take this Selfie High Five Board too seriously-which is part of what I love. It is simply a way to ensure that I’m looking for things that go right and celebrating them. Post-it notes of wins include everything from “adding a new client” to “Meditated for the third day in a row”.
Even if you don’t add the “high five” portion, give the idea a try. Create a brag board or a celebration corner. Whatever it takes to remind yourself that there are so many things to appreciate and celebrate in our lives.
