Small Moments, Big Impact:
Why Celebrating the Small Wins Can Catapult Your Success.
You know it. I know it. There is nothing that fills a dance floor with both the young and old like a little Kool and the Gang. While many modern day brides may ban it from their Dj’s playlist, there is no sounding call to a dance floor like the bump and beat of Celebration. We want to slide and glide in one giant joy bubble with our family and friends.
The ordinary becomes extraordinary in the heart and mind. We need to bookmark these times. Store them in our memory banks to cash in for future nostalgia. Adorning certain moments in special detail makes our life richer. Rites of passage and traditions wrap us in the story of humanity and root us in our lineage. In community and connection, we take our place in the circle. We say to life, “me too”.
Sometimes, we need to celebrate our own victories. Success deserves to be named and claimed. Those little high-fives boost our self-confidence and motivation, igniting our determination to stretch further and inspire those around us. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it is what we need to do most when life weighs us down.
Celebrate. Gather. Honor. Recognize. Acknowledge. High Five.
Celebration: Your brain says, Yes please.
When we celebrate even the smallest thing, the four happy hormones as neurotransmitters cascade contentment through our body and contribute to our mental and emotional well-being.
Endorphins soothe pain, reduce stress, and create a sense of euphoria.
Serotonin supports a more positive out-look and regulates mood.
Oxytocin promotes bonding and a feeling of connection.
Dopamine taps into our brain's reward center and brings an overall feeling of accomplishment and pleasure.
There is no more sure-fire way to flood joy through your system than to celebrate a win and gather with good friends. In these moments we get a boost of "feel-good" hormones. We gain a more positive outlook and a sense of optimism, when we have celebratory occasions marked on our calendars. (Hint Hint. Go get your planner)
Celebrate your big beautiful life.
Grow your gratitude:
Celebration is an opportunity to appreciate the fullness of our lives. It’s a catalyst for gratitude. It's a moment to acknowledge the family that supports us, the health that allows us to live fiercely, the friends who stand by us, and the talents we’ve honed. It’s not just a once a year dinner party for your birthday. It isn’t a fleeting event; but a powerful force that infuses us with belonging, meaning, and inspiration.
Mark your milestones:
Truth is - it’s not the end result or conquering a goal that fills us with the purpose. It’s the journey and growth that brought us to achievement. It’s what you had to experience to get from point A to point B. The parts of yourself you had to invest, grow, connect to, and push forward. These are the accomplishments that need to be cherished and milestones that need to be marked. Without any acknowledgement, we miss the meaning.
Claim your successes:
As a society focused on setting goals, all too often we let significant moments slide through our fingers. For some, an incessant drive to conquer the next thing, pushes right past any recognition in an insatiable pursuit. For others, something in us wants to diminish any sort of accomplishment for fear of being in the spotlight. In order to tap into a greater sense of fulfillment, we have to pause and recognize. We are standing strong in the success for what we already have and for who we already are. These are the times that infuse our dharma and let us thrive in our unique skills and talents.
The meaning of life: High fives and Birthday Bashes.
I am lousy at marking milestones and if I am in the center of any sort of spotlight….forget it. Let’s not acknowledge it–let’s just move right on through, thank you very much. But here’s the catch. I am someone who wants to live a life of meaning with great purpose and intention. That’s the gap, the conflict, the contrast. Without any notable pause or celebration- the moment slips into a blur of time. Without recognition, I haven’t penned it into my story or created any intrinsic inspiration that propels me forward.
The secret to intentional living is in the pause. The seekers and searchers who long for a purpose driven life can find it in the smallest moments. To live deliberately in the simple recognition and suck the marrow out of the daily. Creating reverence and ceremony imprint meaning into our days. We synchronize our tiny moments with the vast experiences of humanity. In joy, sadness, honor, and reverence - we celebrate our living how we can.
