Celebrate the wins: How small accomplishments add up to big changes!
On my list of wins last week…
Walked to the grocery store today (and carried all the groceries home!)
Read chapter 1 of the book that's been on my nightstand for the last 6 months
Made my first cauliflower crust pizza - not bad!
Simple. Seemingly small. Maybe to some, menial. To me, however, these are three things I did last week that, though small, made a big difference in my day and my week. For the last year every week before a meeting we share 1-2 wins, both personal and work related. Often they are trivial, sometimes they represent a big project being completed or a hard challenge being overcome. No matter the size or scale, sharing them with others makes me realize that (a) YES I did accomplish something and (b) that it matters.
At the beginning of every challenge we always ask our members to set goals. We ask you to sit down and really think about what it is you want to accomplish. Often the first draft, full of zealous inspiration, ends up with goals that may not be entirely doable within the given timeframe. By the second draft I am always so interested and humbled with what people come up with. Often these goals look like "I will create a sleep routine by meditating every night" or "I will floss my teeth before coffee in the morning" etc. Although these are great, well intentioned goals, they often aren't followed 100%, every day. Does that mean, that the 4 days of the week you did tune into Heather's Crush Chill didn’t matter because the other 3 days you got sucked into watching Tiger King for 3 hours? You completed your goal 60% of the time, that's 60% more than not at all, that's 4 days more than 0, and that's 32 hours of full, deep, energizing sleep.
So often we are our own biggest critics. Life goals become black and white. If a friend or family member told you that they have been flossing every morning, except Saturday and Sunday - those days are hard to remember sometimes - what would you say? Likely, "Wow, good for you! Flossing 5 days/ week is awesome!" And it is. Sometimes reflecting on what we have been able to accomplish, what we did crush can be challenging. We either beat ourselves up for not getting it 100% of the time, or we think it's not "big" enough or important enough. Don't let that inner critic keep you down, now is the time to fight back.
Remember:
Even the smallest tasks, challenges, and goals are important (they all add up!)
Sharing your wins with people actually makes you feel pretty good ;)
Accomplishing a goal is about completing habits or behaviours consistently, not perfectly
Treat yourself with the same compassion as you would others. What would you say to a loved one celebrating a win?
Reflect on your day and what made you smile, you'll find your day was full of wins!
Avoid comparing yourself to either a past self or someone else. As one of my favourite bands, Current Swell, sing "Comparison is the thief of joy"
Whether you are finishing up a challenge, embarking on a new journey or are in the midst of change, taking the time to reflect and appreciate both where you have been and what you have accomplished is a powerful tool. Acknowledging our wins help us to keep our inner critic at bay, it also gives us data and evidence as to what has worked in the past and it helps keep us motivated to continue forward!
So friends, if you are looking for motivation, forward progression and the ability to crush goals look no further than your own accomplishments. What are your wins, big and small? How did they add up to a great day or a successful project completion?
Not sure? Start with answering this simple question: What is good about today?