Why You Should Celebrate The Little Things

Celebrating significant milestones and achievements like weddings and anniversaries is normal, but what about the small daily wins? Acknowledging the little wins along the way to big wins will help the appreciation for the larger ones more. Thinking about the growth it took to get there will open your eyes to how big the achievements are.

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The Brain and Rewards

Keeping track of small wins helps boost confidence. No matter how small or if it relates to a bigger goal, the brain is wired to respond to rewards. Celebrating small successes leads to the completion of larger goals.
People who track small achievements every day have enhanced motivation. The neurotransmitter dopamine boosts your mood, motivation and attention. This signals the activity to be done repeatedly to keep receiving the mood-boosting chemicals. Chasing the feeling of accomplishment and pride will help those goals get reached, no matter how big or small.

Photo by Daniel Xavier

Why Celebrate Little Things

Some people have trouble celebrating their small wins. Things like making the bed or packing a healthy lunch may not seem important enough to celebrate. When the perspective is changed, it can be seen as celebrating habits instead of achievements.
Praise the moments when good behaviour is shown and appreciate the person built through them. The little victories can quickly become demotivated when rushing from one task to the next.
The little wins can look different for each person. Something may be insignificant to someone but enormous to another person. Take the time to pause and feel good about each accomplishment or habit that has been acquired. Showing appreciation will continue to nourish all the wins in life.

Photo by Julia Avamotive

How to Keep Track of Small Wins

Motivation is a big part of success. Being able to have rewards and celebrate wins is the key to motivation. Here is how to acknowledge the small things when they get mixed in with everything else in life.

Break Down Large Goals

When setting goals, it is easy to get wrapped up in the end goal. Make sure to create small achievable goals in between the larger goal. This will allow the progress made to be tracked clearly. Each little step will help motivation since the mind can slip into procrastination when trying to reach a bigger goal.

Use a Reward System

Figure out a simple reward system for when a step gets completed. It can be anything from a favorite meal or extra time to relax. Having something to look forward to trains the brain to do the activities leading to that feeling.
The little rewards can be a pre-celebration for the more significant moment. The anticipation of reaching the goal will increase as the taste of small rewards along the way keep it going. Be sure to celebrate enthusiastically with memorable desserts or time with loved ones that supported the goal along the way.

Reduce Pressure

Strict deadlines are the killers of reaching goals. The pressure from deadlines can increase feelings of failure, even with the small wins along the way. Allow flexibility when reaching goals to keep happiness and motivation in the meantime.

Keep Track of Progression

When on the road to reaching a goal, the big picture can hide all the growth made along the way. The feeling of giving up may be overwhelming since it can be hard to see times when success was close.
Try keeping a journal to track the progress that has been made. It can be helpful to look back at these moments in times of doubt. Seeing the small wins written down can feel like a reward itself.

Change the Perspective

Focusing on the end goal may seem too difficult or far in the future. Try to shift the perspective from concurring a big mountain to a road trip with lots of beautiful destinations along the way. Enjoying each small moment in the journey will help long-term goals feel fun and achievable.