Learning to Celebrate My Wins and Appreciate Success
I am just about halfway through my year-long challenge of reading 52 books. When reading so many books (and writing several blog posts about each), the pace needs to be quick. But I need to allow myself space for reflection as well. I know reading these books has benefited my life; however, I want to allow these benefits to sink into my bones. I don’t want this reading challenge to be frantic or surface-level, but rather to impact me deeply and positively for the rest of my life.
I am guilty of not enjoying my successes. As soon as I achieve something, I am on to the next challenge. I am never satisfied with what I have accomplished, which is not a compliment to myself. I never see myself as successful, no matter how much I have achieved. I don’t celebrate my wins very much, I just expect another one to take its place and am disappointed in myself if it doesn’t.
But that pace can’t be maintained.
It is worthwhile to celebrate all wins: big and small, internal and external. It isn’t enough anymore for me to experience the win, I want to appreciate it fully as well. This requires slowing down. It requires listening to myself. It includes surrounding myself with the people and things I enjoy. It involves eating my favourite carrot muffin at the café I always go to and sipping a coffee as I people watch.
This is the space where my appreciation of self and others happens.
And yes, it also happens when I am alone in the woods. I sometimes find I appreciate people more when I am not around them. The modern world is so connected these days, and although I have love for the people in my life, sometimes I just need the buzzing to stop and let it be replaced with birds chirping.
Messy Bun Book Lover
(Originally posted on June 24, 2025)