Many times, we run through our action-packed days, weeks, months, years and that heart-warming feeling of achievement alludes us. We wait for the big project to complete, the deal to be closed, the house to be remodeled – whatever it is – before we allow ourselves to experience it. Even crazier, we may still not celebrate our achievement when it comes. It makes me wonder if we are just out of practice.
A little win can be as practical as taking your shoes in the back closet finally to the repair shop, creative as trying mango sticky rice for the first time, and emotional as being patient during a challenging conversation. Recognizing your little wins daily helps build a practice of feeling achievement. You know what they say – practice makes perfect.
3 simple ways to celebrate little wins
1. Savor with a smile – call up into your mind’s eye a particular accomplishment during each day and what made it so great. Savoring helps us to intensify our positive emotions – sounds nice right. You can reflect on its qualities, how did it make you feel, and what was the impact on others.
2. Write-up wins – as you wrap-up your day tangibly list out what went well – your wins. Writing helps to focus your attention and commit things to memory further enhancing your sense of achievement. It can be as simple as writing a short list on the back of a napkin, in a journal, a planner, whatever suits your fancy. The key is tangibly write it down – no typing.
3. Look for the learning – reviewing your little wins each day and understanding what led to the success can be a strong foundation for learning. Each win can be used as an opportunity to further progress to do better. Take a look at each win and what solution led to it. Try to become more aware of it to make it more likely to repeat. Celebrate your progress.
Have some fun with this and move the feeling of achievement deeper into your daily life. What little win comes to your mind now?
