I want to tell you two stories in hopes that you will relate to at least one of them.
And if you do, I want you to consider taking the CELEBRATE THE SMALL challenge with me this month.
STORY 1:
It was early in 2018, I was zipping through town trying to get to a meeting on time. Quickly moving from one thing to the next. Time was limited, so I was eating my lunch, listening to a podcast, putting on my mascara … oh, and driving! You could say I was being productive, or efficient with my time, or multi-tasking. But looking back I would say I was moving too fast, as I do all too often.
It was on my way home that afternoon that I was deep in thought and realized that maybe when I am moving so fast, I am not giving myself the time to remember what I have done, what I have experienced, who I have been blessed by, what I have accomplished.
So when the to-do list gets long, stress and doubt appear. We feel like we are failing. We can’t remember
what we have done already. We can only see what is left to do.
I teach people to reflect in order to figure out who they are and what they want in their careers, but do we ever just stop and reflect on our day, week, or month? Do we realize how incredible this life is on a daily basis?
How often has your partner, friend, or parent asked you, “How was your day?” or “What happened today?” and you answered “It was fine. Nothing special.”?
I want us to change that.
STORY 2:
I love following women on social media who are pursuing dreams, leading companies, encouraging others and possess grit and passion. I follow them for motivation and inspiration. I learn from them.
But one day, I realized I was comparing myself to them. As if I was anywhere near their level of experience or business. I began to doubt my own abilities and my business, thinking “I could never do it as well as they do.”
Then I realized I was focusing more on their lives than my own. I was focusing on their daily/weekly/monthly successes or blessings. And when we focus on others’ lives, we don’t celebrate the life or career WE are experiencing, no matter how large or small. Comparison is an ugly beast and loves to appear through social media.
And I want us to change that.
Those 2 days in my life made me realize that I wanted to create a challenge that would encourage ALL of us to CELEBRATE THE SMALL.
I am dedicating the month of February to celebrating all the little (or big) victories in our careers and lives.
I want us to start:
1. Being proud of what we accomplish in a humbly confident manner
2. Being intentional about who we interact with each day
3. Being confident in the fact that we are EXACTLY where we are supposed to be
4. Focusing on improving ourselves instead of watching everyone else’s lives
5. Celebrating each other
Each post this month will be sharing what I am celebrating and encouraging you to find your small celebration each day.
So how can you join in?
TRACK YOUR SMALL AND LARGE VICTORIES:
1. Take snaps or pictures of anything that happens in your day that is good, influences your life, makes you laugh, or moves you one little step closer to your goals.
2. Keep a journal on paper or in your phone (in the notes app)
3. Send me DMs with notes or pictures (I want to celebrate with you!)
4. Post at the end of each week about small (or big) celebrations (and tag @eloisedesignco)
5. Use our Instagram Story templates and post your own!
FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE:
It doesn’t seem very hard to pick one of the 5 above. It is easy to do for a day or two and then let it fall off our radar when the days get busy (I get it!).
That’s why I want us to search for a career or life account-abili-buddy. We weren’t meant to do our careers, businesses, or lives alone.
Find someone who is striving for something.
Find someone who is like-minded in wanting more.
Find someone who is more experienced in an area you are pursuing.
Now go ask the person to join you in this challenge.
Text each other and ask “How was your day/week?” “What was your good for today?” “What can I celebrate with you about?”
Please don’t use the excuse that you have a boring life. You don’t. You just need to look at it through a different lense and have someone to help you see the small victories worth noting.
What types of things could we celebrate?
It can be as simple as I finally took my pet to the vet that has been on my list for weeks and stressing me out.
It can be that you finished a book and learned something new.
It can be that you were appointed for a project, position, trip that you have wanted for a long time.
It could be that you finished a project ahead of the deadline.
It can be that you studied as you should have and did well on a test.
It can be that you went to the gym 3 times in one week and didn’t break a promise to yourself.
It can be that you met someone new and you actually engaged so that a relationship could flourish.
For me, my small victory was spending time at home with my husband and getting small to dos done (oil change, dry cleaning, bank, returns). It was simple, mundane and nothing special BUT it was my #celebratethesmall. It made me happy and did my soul some good.
You may be reading all of this and agreeing with me but wondering
“What is the bigger point of all of this?”
"How does this apply to me as a professional?" "As a business owner?"
We have to start realizing that our small actions and decisions affect our future businesses, jobs, and relationships. We need to start paying attention to who is right in front of us. We need to start realizing life has already begun. It doesn’t begin when you have a specific job, degree, salary, a spouse, children, etc.
Everything you are doing now (or not doing) is opening (or closing) doors in the future.
I recently read
“… the most dazzling human achievements are, in fact, the aggregate
of countless individual elements, each of which is, in a sense, ordinary.”
(Grit by Angela Duckworth)
I challenge you to celebrate the ordinary because it could possibly lead to something dazzling.
If this blog post touched you in any way, share it!
If you want to #celebratethesmall with us, comment on our social media post or message us!