I’ve always found it tricky to figure out how to celebrate victories, especially the small ones. I know it’s important—taking stock and integrating growth matters, and victories are milestones along the way.
But every time I try to decide how to celebrate, I feel a bit lost. I mean, what does “doing something nice for myself” really mean? Drinking a nice tea? That’ll be forgotten in five minutes. Buying something new? Not exactly sustainable for every win, and I just end up with more stuff. Let’s be honest, we’re all drowning in stuff. It’s not even funny anymore.
Finally, I cracked it.
I’ve realized I have two options. If it’s something I want to remember because the memory itself strengthens me—like receiving acknowledgment—I’ll buy or make something symbolic that I can see regularly, something that reminds me of that win. But if I want to celebrate mastering a challenge, I’ll do something that builds on that victory.
For example, one day I took a test I was afraid of and ended up acing it. To celebrate, I did something I’ve always thought I couldn’t—something small. I borrowed my kids’ painting supplies and painted something in a notebook. It looks, fittingly, like a toddler’s drawing, but I did it. My best friend is an artist, and while I have zero plans to show him that masterpiece, painting and drawing carry positive connotations for me.
So now, when I master a challenge, if the mood strikes, I might paint or try something else that’s out of my comfort zone. Using the energy from a recent win to fuel the next step—without getting swept away by the enthusiasm (which, in this case, the quality of the drawing efficiently prevented)—maintains momentum sustainably. It integrates the original victory and sets the stage for the next. In fact, after all that, I ended up making two kilos of marmalade while writing three blog posts 😉
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