Empowering me - June 2007

Celebrating our successes

Do you remember a time when you rushed home to share something exciting that happened that day? It may have been a time in high school when you won at netball, was voted a prefect or chosen to act in the Gala play. Then again, it may have been more recently when you finished that proposal hanging over your head. Maybe you finally plucked up the courage to voice your opinion during your weekly team meeting. Or today you weighed in at the gym and you’d lost a few kilos.

Whatever our individual successes, victories or wins they each have a personal meaning that is special to us. For some success is reaching a fitness goal they once thought impossible, dropping a dress size or entering a triathlon. For others, success is having the confidence to ask for a pay rise, stand up to a difficult colleague or accept that coveted top job. While for others, success is achieving harmony at home, creating work life balance and having more ‘me time’.

Have you ever stopped to consider why we love to celebrate graduations, weddings, buying our new home, setting up our business, buying our new car or winning at sport? The reason is that our successes taste even sweeter when shared with others, especially those that matter to us. It’s important to share and acknowledge our victories. When we do so we:

• Send a message to ourselves both consciously and unconsciously that we did well.
• Strengthen our conviction to keep going and striving for more.
• Boost our self belief and confidence.
• Measure our progress.
• Develop self recognition and self esteem.
• Fuel our motivation and drive.
• Inspire others to strive towards their goals.

Monthly tips

Let me share with you some simple tools to start you celebrating your successes.

• Reflect on your daily wins, no matter how big or small. Acknowledge yourself and be your own cheerleader.
  
  
• Write down your wins and post them on the fridge, on your PC or pin board so you can see them as reminder on how well you are doing.
  
  
• Create your own celebration mantra and say it to yourself each time you succeed. Try some on for size (whatever works for you): “Yes, I did it!” “You did so well!” “Awesome!” “I’m a legend!’.
  
  
• Reward yourself for the victories that took courage, commitment and determination.
  
  
• Celebrate your successes with your family, friends and colleagues.

Illira is the Director and founder, of VitaliseYou® a training, education and research organisation.

Illira Margaritis Managing Director VitaliseYou Pty Ltd p 0416 190 094 e admin@vitaliseyou.com.au w www.vitaliseyou.com.au