Written By: Kate Clark, from Nourishing Minds Nutrition and The Rooted Place

You have goals. You have visions for different parts of your life that you aim to live out.

But what happens when you get to that point where you feel them losing their weight and excitement? You know, that point where you don’t care anymore, or it just seems too far out of reach, or you’re just too exhausted to keep going.

Since you’re here I’m guessing that you’re the type that sets the highest of standards for herself. The one who lives in the black and white of success or failure, and no in-between. I feel you, I’m still shaking those lenses off, myself. It’s tough work. But you know what really helps? Remembering that there are SO many wins within your journey to the “end” goal.

We don’t have to wait until our bank account hits our goal number to feel good about all of the hard work we’ve put in to get it where it is right now. We don’t have to wait until we no longer need our marriage therapist to celebrate the improved communication skills with our relationship.

WE DO NOT NEED TO WAIT.

We need to celebrate, now.

I know that remembering to feed ourselves throughout the day might not feel like a win, but for some of us, it sure as hell is. Wins look different on everyone. But in order to celebrate them, we need to be able to recognize them within ourselves. This may be the first time you have ever done such a thing, and that’s okay. If that’s you, I’m so excited for you!

Let’s start with some homework; I need you to start a “Wins” log. A little check-in at the end of this month to notice how far you’ve come. Maybe you’ve moved miles towards your goal this month. Maybe you only got a half inch closer. Maybe you backtracked twenty steps so that you could make a slight pivot that feels more aligned. If what you’re doing is creating any ounce of momentum towards where you want to be, it’s a win. Write it down.

Take out your phone or planner right now and schedule “Have a Wins Moment” at the end of this month. Set aside at least 10 minutes and really give it some thought. After this assignment is complete, you can continue to do this once a week, once a month, 4 times a year- whatever seems realistic to you.

Think of this as an investment in your future.

It will feel reeeeeally warm and fuzzy, for sure, but do you want to know what’s really going on when we do this kind of reflection and celebration?

You’re re-wiring your brain. Let me explain.

So, your brain is plastic, right? This means we are able to train it. How do we do that? We REWARD our brain by highlighting and celebrating whenever it does that thing we like. Something that gets us closer to our vision. Something that we want it to repeat, improve, and grow. You are strengthening specific pathways in your very own brain.

It’s so important to celebrate the small stuff because it’s the quickest way to MORE wins!

The more we reward our brain, the more frequent it will perform that same thought pattern or behavior. So yes, your brain and your dog have something in common.

The more we celebrate our small wins, the more we will keep creating them!

It’s no wonder we incorporate small win celebrations in our on-line programs. Every single week we give our members of these life-changing programs the opportunity to share with their community what they are proud of themselves for. It’s so powerful to have accountability and encouragement when making big shifts in your behaviors. If you don’t feel safe sharing your wins with anyone, at the very least, consistently share them with yourself.

You are worthy of celebration, my dear.