Do you have a practice of celebration in your business?
Do you find yourself waiting for only the largest achievements before you take time to celebrate?
Maybe you don’t feel like you actually have anything to celebrate yet (I’ll let your business bestie chime in on why that’s not true).
Celebrating wins – both big and small- is one of the most underused yet critical strategies to elevate your business.
Think about it. You’re working hard, hustling for that big goal and maybe you’re even making some extra allowances on that work/life boundary you previously set.
Then the day comes when you finally achieve that milestone goal, but instead of celebrating, your eyes immediately dart towards the next big mountain in your business, and you start the next climb.
By not taking the time to celebrate, your brain doesn’t register this day as any different so the next time you fight for a big goal, it can feel more challenging and overall draining.
Celebrating wins along the way, on the other hand, produces a constant stream of motivation fueled by the dopamine that is created with every little victory.
Instead of trying to jump from the ground floor to the top of the building, imagine the celebration of each small win as a staircase that allows you to build to the top without all the exhaustion and temptation to quit.
Not sure you have the time for much celebration? Here are a few ways to easily add more celebrations into your business.
Celebrate by checking off your list
To-do list lovers, this one is for you! The simple truth is that you need to have goals in order to celebrate achieving them. No matter how simple it seems or if the goal feels like something you “should” do anyway, put it on your list.
The simple act of checking off your tasks will bring awareness to your accomplishment and will get your mind used to spot positive forward movement. Soon, this will become second nature, and the more you can stay mentally strong, the more energy you’ll have for the challenging parts of your business.
Celebrating by creating a win wall
If you aren’t seeing the forward movement in your business, start a win wall!
Collect every note from a client, thank you card from a vendor, etc., and find a place on a wall you will see every day. No need to set aside a whole weekend to design a Pinterest perfect setup; start with what you have and let it grow over time.
Having a visual representation of the positive moments in your business will serve as a reminder of the impact you’re making in between larger milestones.
Celebrate by shaking up your day
Not every celebration needs to be an all-day, insta-worthy activity. After all, you’re busy and have more to do in a day than most people accomplish in a week!
Try switching things up in your day. Upgrade your coffee order, end your workday an hour early, and take the workout class you keep sacrificing to get one more task done. Changing your day even in the slightest of ways can be the pattern interrupt your body needs to remember you completed a task or achieved your goal.
Celebrate by taking a trip
Ok, ok, so not every celebration will call for an escape to a dreamy location however, if yours does, then by all means GO. FOR. IT!
For those of us whose responsibilities require being close to home, I encourage you to incorporate celebration by simply getting out of your normal space.
Go on a walk in a different direction, go out to dinner somewhere new or if you’re in an office, go stand out in the sunshine on your break. Taking a moment to breathe in your success as you experience a new environment will take you out of the grind and allow your body to receive something new after pouring out to accomplish the goal.
Celebrate your progress
If you are still not convinced you have anything to celebrate, this one is going to be an eye-opener. Take a look at your calendar, planner or whatever you use to plan your life. Don’t have one? Grab one just for this task alone.
Put a note, stamp, sticker, or whatever mark that brings you joy on the dates that something – anything positive – happened in your business (or life if you’re tracking here, too).
Get a new lead? Mark it down. Make a connection that has the potential to lead to new business? Mark it down. Choose to set a boundary and kept it? Mark it!
Keeping track of the wins within the process will help you see that things are, in fact, moving forward and likely faster than you think. Take note of any patterns you see pop up along the way.
Celebrate by treating yourself
Sometimes, a good old fashion splurge is the celebration that speaks to your heart. Get the new book, those amazing shoes or whatever feels like a detour from your normal routine. It doesn’t have to break the bank; it just has to bring you joy and make you feel special.
Bonus points if it’s not something consumable so you can see it day after day and be reminded of what you felt by achieving your win.
Celebrate with a friend
Take a friend to lunch, enjoy the quality time, and celebrate that you are making progress with what you set out to do. Don’t be shy, tell them about your win and be prepared to fully accept any compliments or affirmations that come your way.
Remember, they are your friend, and they want you to succeed (even if they still don’t understand what you do yet)!
Celebrate by planning for it
Most of the time, businesses run without celebrations because they push forward day in and day out. Look at your schedule and see where you can plan for a daily, weekly, or monthly celebration.
Where can you add a celebration habit to something you already have scheduled? For example, I receive a weekly flower delivery from a local florist.
Each week when the flowers arrive, I take a moment to think through the last week and pick one thing to celebrate. This gives me space to literally stop and smell the roses, but it forces me to stay in the routine of acknowledging positive moments in my business.
If you’re still not sure where to start, try your skincare routine. Tonight, after you wash your face, linger a moment, and look at yourself in the mirror and acknowledge one win from the day. Note: celebrating surviving another day is 100% an acceptable win!
Modeling celebration as a leader
Implementing rituals of celebration in your business not only help keep you motivated to move your business forward, but it encourages other leaders to do the same. In a time where comparison tempts us to believe we aren’t achieving enough; celebration brings freedom to our businesses by releasing us from the heavy burden of toxic productivity.
Modeling celebration and encouraging others in their wins is how we lift each other up and where the true impact is made.
How do you plan to incorporate celebration into your business?
