Success can come in many shapes and sizes we just have a habit of not recognizing the smaller ones as such. For many of us we feel so busy that each day seems to be like a conveyor belt of things we need to get done. So we certainly don’t have time to think about celebrating anything beyond a quick nod to the bigger wins.

Yes the big successes are more likely to be celebrated like weddings, graduations, finalizing a big project in work, but what about those smaller wins? Do you even consider those as noteworthy of celebrating even quietly on your own?

So why do we need to celebrate all our successes?

There are many reasons why we should celebrate even the smallest of successes. These include that it builds our resilience by teaching us to learn and adapt. We recognize, as does our brain, what’s worthwhile working on as a result.

It inspires us to replicate these actions and goals over and over again. Our brain realizes that it needs to seek the solutions to help us do just that. So that in effect we rewire our brain and develop a success driven mindset.

What Happens To Our Brain When We Celebrate A Small Win?

When we celebrate our successes, no matter how small, endorphins are released. These help us not only feel good but it also reinforces the behaviours so that we will get more of this feel good feeling again.

On the other hand if you don’t celebrate you are training your brain to see those things as not important. Our brain begins to see them as unexciting or even mundane so why would we want to repeat those behaviours again? It will lead to a lack of motivation, focus and you will sabotage your chances at succeeding in the future with other goals or tasks.

Don’t forget that when we celebrate we also tend to build social connection alongside it also. Even a small celebration of coffee and cake serves to help us build our connections with those around us. Our brain starts to recognize these connections as important to us.

As human beings we need that social connection to survive also. In fact we need four types of positive support in our lives. Emotional, tangible, informational and social supports. I discuss what these are in more detail and how they can support your physical and mental health in a positive manner in the blog and video on the subject.

Remember that our reality is driven by our perception. So celebrating even the smallest of wins will reinforce that we are winners also. That what we do is of value and matters not only to ourselves but to others also. Others will be attracted to that kind of positivity and could help you even further to build on your achievements. But we need to remember that if we don’t celebrate our successes no one else will either. So don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet.

Taking note of those small moments during the day helps us pause and be more present. This will really boost your wellbeing and mental health. So those small chats over a coffee with a positive friend, laughing at something one of the children has said, writing a proposal, everything and anything that happens in a day is worth celebrating.

These celebrations don’t have to a big performance, just acknowledging them or giving yourself a pat on the back is a huge reminder of everything we do for ourselves and others. Plus it’s an acknowledgement of our talents, abilities, and skills, or even our courage and persistence we need some days.

Some Techniques That Help Us Rewire Our Brain For Success.

Basic Self-Care.

Yes I’m going to mention the self-care word. I know I harp on about it but it really does help you here. Making sure you take care of yourself first with some basic self-care sends a clear signal to the brain that you matter and that you value yourself and your time.

It will also help send that signal to others in your life. They can see that your time and subsequently you are valuable commodities. It sets boundaries and helps you reduce your stress in to the bargain. Again it shows you as someone who values themselves and is also seen as a successful and confident individual.

This kind of self-care allows you to celebrate yourself in small ways each day. Plus it helps you take back power and control over your own life. A lot of what I talk about below will be aided by having a good basic self-care routine in place. You can find out more and a list of the basics in my blog, podcast and video.

Using Affirmations And Visualizations.

By using affirmations and visualizations we can begin to get our brain to pay attention to what we want more of in our lives. It may seem false or silly at first but our negative thinking built up over time so will it be with the positive visualizations and affirmations.

Visualize yourself celebrating your accomplishments, even a small one. Just pick one achievement at a time to visualize. If you are having difficulty visualizing yourself use a photograph of yourself to help you do it. Really look at yourself and recognize what a great job you have done. Imagine what this celebration would entail, who would be there, what would be happening – a party, etc., how you would feel as other people congratulated you and celebrate with you. Now tell yourself “I am a success.” Really notice how this feels. Keep doing this visualization until you can feel that success on a deep level.

You can also extend this visualizing process to imagine yourself succeeding at a goal or task you have been working on. Again make the visualization as clear as possible. You could go so far as putting on the clothes you’d wear, buy a small cake or prepare a meal you’d eat, play some music, etc. All with the intention of evoking as many of the feelings, sounds,smells and visual effects as possible. Many successful people have reportedly done something similar prior to making some big breakthrough in their lives.

Using daily affirmations can have a similar impact. Telling yourself “I am successful” or “I can succeed” will help motivate you and again will help rewire your brain to look for solutions to help you succeed.

Boost Your Motivation.

Motivation is another important factor in building our sense of success. But motivation might not be there initially. Sometimes we have to take some small actionable steps to get us going in the first place.

Noticing the small wins from breaking down your goals into these actionable steps can help motivate us further. Celebrating these will get your brain to notice these wins more and more often. Making them more important and reinforcing any changes you are making. So keep a record of all your small wins, you can use a journal to do this plus a treats and rewards system.

Keep A Gratitude List.

Keeping a simple list of things we are grateful for will not only boost our mental health but it is one of the fasted ways to rewire our brain to recognize what is important to us. So simply write it down in a journal or just say it to yourself at the end of each evening.

Set Up A Treats And Rewards System.

Treats are things we give to ourselves just for being ourselves. They are usually free or cost under a small amount of money for instance €5 or €10. They are usually given daily as well. These can include things such as a relaxing bath, reading or watching your favourite TV show or film, going for a walk, etc.

Rewards cost more money and we usually allot them to bigger milestones such as getting to the end of the week or month or when we reach a predetermined milestone with a goal or project. These could include lunch or dinner out with friends, a massage, or weekend away, etc. Make sure you put this system in place to get your motivation and celebrations started today.

 For New Habits Use A Tracker.

A note on creating new habits, make sure you do something small enough that you can succeed at it. Plus keep a habit tracker to help you celebrate the successes at the end of each day and week. That way you are more likely to continue when you start to feel your motivation and willpower struggle. The habit tracker will remind you of how much you have achieved already.

An Important Note For Those Who Have Suffered Trauma.

For some who have been through traumatic events in the past even celebrating the bigger stuff will often go unrecognized and certainly not celebrated. Perhaps while living in an abusive home or marriage birthdays go unmarked, graduating college, a huge achievement you might say, will go uncelebrated. If the big things go unmarked then anything smaller certainly never gets a look in.

This conditioning of never celebrating, or even acknowledging, your successes can go on long after you have left. At some point we have to change that. We owe it to ourselves to see all the successes and celebrate them. It is also a process that can help us reclaim back our lives, our power and it will also help to rewire our brains in the process. So using any of the above will certainly help you. Please reach out for help if you need it also, therapy will help you see everything positive in your life again.

Work With Me.

Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. If you need extra support then you can also work with me. We all struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time. If you find this has become a problem for you and you’d like some support then schedule an appointment with me.