Mamas, I know it is the most chaotic time of year and so many things are on our to-do lists, but don’t forget this one important thing before we leave this year behind…
Celebrate your progress.
Maybe you have a hard time seeing any progress because you wished it was bigger or looked different. Take some time and find the amazing strength you’ve shown this year. One of the things I learned during my time of intentional gratitude last month was that sometimes when we are in the middle of making progress it can be hard to remember the bigger picture and see how far we’ve come. Did you adjust to more school changes and plans getting rearranged than you thought possible? Did you set some new boundaries, even when it felt really hard? Did you get out of bed on the days where it truly seemed impossible when you first opened your eyes? You are here. You made it. Name it and celebrate it.
Or maybe you are used to finding and naming your progress. Maybe you already have your list of goals checked off and your social media graphics ready to show some successful metrics for the year whether that be in business, in fitness, in community action, or something else entirely. Yet, sweet friends, don’t forget this one important thing: celebrate your progress. Sharing is not the same as celebrating. You can shout your accomplishments to the world and all it may feel like is another piece of the hustle. Take time out and really let the work you’ve done this year sink in. Maybe that includes throwing confetti and sharing your joy with the world and maybe that means taking some time to journal and have a quiet celebration, or maybe something in between- splitting a bottle of wine to toast with a close friend or your partner.
I believe that as long as we don’t forget this one important thing, we’ll be in a better place to start the new year. If you are setting resolutions or goals for 2022, celebrate 2021 first and your goals will become more clear. If you hate the idea of goals because you have struggled with guilt over them in the past, celebrating goes a long way toward battling that guilt.
