Oh man do I love this topic! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE IT! I will use any reason to celebrate, so when I received the following question I danced in my chair. The question is…
“Pam, I’ve heard you mention in classes and in a past newsletter how important it is to celebrate. You made mention that it had something to do with helping to raise motivation levels and self-confidence. While I can see that on some level, my concern is that if I do celebrate something I’ve done won’t people think I’m just tooting my own horn and bragging? How do I avoid that?”
Such an awesome question! Thank you!
I’m a huge proponent of celebrating for the reasons mentioned in the question. It just feels good to take some time out of our busy lives to say, “Hey, job well done!
In my humble opinion, we don’t celebrate enough. We bust our backsides moving from one project, task, or goal without so much as a pause or breath. And we wonder why we’re so dang tired!?!
In addition to confidence building and motivation inducing, celebrating is a positive mojo producing, energy elixir. It’s better than any 5-hour energy boosting drink.
BUT while it’s a great way to recharge, I also understand the tooting and bragging concern. Hells bells, I used to be concerned about the same thing until I came to the following realizations…
First and foremost, I have absolutely no control over what others think. I never have and I never will. A tough concept to swallow, but it’s true.
Something to think about…
If someone has an objection to you celebrating your wins I want to encourage you to consider that maybe, just maybe, their objection has everything to do with them and nothing to do with you. Maybe they want to celebrate too, but they have the same concerns as you. By you celebrating, you get to serve as a role model for them and others. Not to mention you get to have some fun.
Second, celebrating my own wins doesn’t require me to shout it from the rooftops. (Unless I want to, of course.) I can celebrate in my own quiet way. For example, writing in my journal about my win and acknowledging my efforts, gifting myself a massage or a mani/pedi. One time I opened up a bottle of champagne and had a glass while toasting myself for a job well done. None of those things involved anyone else but me and I had a blast!
The last and probably most important realization required some tough questions.
Was I not celebrating because of what others might think?
What was really getting in the way, particularly if my celebrating didn’t have to include others?
The real truth… I felt funny celebrating me because I didn’t feel I deserved celebration. Enter a BIG BOLDFACE lie.
Once I was able to shine a light on that lie, I made the commitment to prove that lie wrong. I CELEBRATED. I celebrated the small, the medium, and the big wins even if it was uncomfortable. And yes, the first few times were a bit uncomfortable, but now the more I celebrate the more fun I have.
Truth be told, I celebrate everything and I’m so glad I do. I celebrate when I gain a new client, or when a class I’ve taught goes really well, or when I’ve completed a project. I may not celebrate in grand, splashy type ways, but I make it a point to take some time to pat myself on the back for the good things I do.
Celebrating is crucial to what I do and to my own personal well-being. Besides, I couldn’t ask you or any of my clients to celebrate if I didn’t do so myself.
My friends, the truth is we all deserve to celebrate who we are, what we do, and the amazing skills and gifts we bring to the world. Frankly, tooting our own horns is good for business, it’s good for our own personal health and well-being, and it’s good for the soul.
Please take the time to celebrate you every chance you get starting today! And just remember, it’s really no one’s business if or why you are celebrating so don’t allow other’s thoughts to keep you from doing something that is good for you!
