In our day and age, we do not generally take out enough time to celebrate our journeys for various reasons. Of course there’s the general busyness that characterizes our lives, and reflecting on the milestones we’ve already crossed or celebrating the successes we’ve already had is not always top of the agenda. Believe it or not, both me and my daughter had to force ourselves to attend our graduations because it was so easy convincing ourselves otherwise…

And then there’s also the neural wiring that’s part of our human inheritance. We’re wired with a limbic system that always looks for better and more. And while this is hugely beneficial towards our growth, it can also lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration in a world where comparison is the norm and possibilities are endless.

So take out time every once in a while to take in your achievements, to savor your progress, to express gratitude for others who have helped you in your journey, and to celebrate each milestone and reflect on the internal and external resources that made it happen.

Because when you do so, you let temporary moments of success sink into your long-term memory and thus build a mental library of your abilities and strengths that’ll propel you forward even when the natural obstacles and challenges of any journey get in your way.

Mind you, celebrations are not always major events of pomp and glory. You can celebrate your wins multiple times a day in many ways:

• You can savor small successes every day when feelings of frustration arise
• You can reflect on them every night so you end your day feeling good about yourself
• You can look back every month or quarter and appreciate the milestones you’ve crossed
• You can talk about your achievements with friends and family while also helping them talk about their own

Which ones can you do more of in your life?