When you think back over the last month, what are your wins? If you were to count, how many things can you recall that went well versus not?
In a world that tends towards the negative, with click-bait and catastrophic headlines winning much of the world’s attention, celebration is an important opportunity to solidify the lessons learned along the way as you continue to grow and develop in your life and career.
Celebrating wins is not only a way to acknowledge achievements but also a powerful tool to rewire your brain towards positivity. In my work, this is a practice that I include in my own every day and I have seen firsthand the impact of celebrating wins on individuals and teams I work with. This is not just a great opinion of mine, while I have many, there is significant psychology behind celebrating wins and how it can benefit your personal and professional life.
Firstly, celebrating activates the reward centre in your brain. When you achieve something, no matter how small, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and reward. By putting effort and energy into acknowledging positive progress and outcomes, you reinforce positive behaviour and create a sense of accomplishment, which in turn strengthens the neural pathways associated with these behaviours. Who wouldn’t rather your brain be wired to the good stuff?
Which leads me to the second point - celebrating wins helps you focus on the positive. It is easy to get caught up in negative thoughts and emotions, especially when things do not go as planned. However, by intentionally focusing on wins, you shift your attention to what is going well in your life, whether it be work, relationship, hobbies, play, money... This mindset shift can have a profound impact on your overall well-being, as research has shown that positivity has a range of physical and psychological benefits.
Third, celebrating wins helps build resilience. When you experience setbacks or challenges, it is easy to feel discouraged and lose motivation. By celebrating wins, you create a buffer against negative emotions and build the resilience needed to overcome obstacles. It also helps you cultivate a growth mindset, where you see challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. This morning I heard a quote from @rawbeautytalks that said “every obstacle is an opportunity for expansion”, which I immediately wrote in my journal as a reminder.
Before getting into the how, it’s good to also remember that celebrating wins doesn’t mean avoiding pain or loss. We can’t selectively numb out negative experiences and only choose the pleasure in life, but celebrating wins and building that resilience cab allow us to move through grief, disappointment and discomfort with more ease.
So, how can you start celebrating wins and reap the benefits of a more positive focus? Here are some tips:
Set achievable goals: Celebrating wins starts with setting goals that are achievable and aligned with your values. Break down big goals into smaller bite-sized milestones that are easier to accomplish, and celebrate each of them along the way.
Have a list of celebrations to draw from: If you don’t want one more thing to have to think about when it comes to acknowledging all the good stuff, make a list that you can pick from. Mine includes things like buying myself a new book, booking a massage, ordering myself in dinner or booking a special night out with my partner.
Celebrate with others: Celebrating wins with others creates a sense of community and reinforces positive behaviour. Share your wins with a friend, family member, or colleague, and celebrate together.
Create a gratitude practice: Every day (or as often as you can), write down 1-2 things you are grateful for or 1-2 wins you had that day. This practice helps remind you of the positive things in your life, if perhaps that day you don’t have your definition of a win.This still gets those new wires going in your brain, and you can look back on these if experiencing a setback which is really helpful when feeling low.
Use positive self-talk: When you achieve something, congratulate yourself and use positive self-talk. Tell yourself what a great job you did, how much effort you put in, and that you are capable of achieving more. You got this. (Try it in the mirror for an extra challenge)
If this isn’t something you already practice, then give it a try, one incremental change at a time. Your brain is a powerful tool and by activating the reward centre, focusing on the positive and building resilience, you can cultivate a mindset and life filled with growth and accomplishment.
What’s the first thing you will celebrate?
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