Celebrate Your Progress!

Personal growth is something that doesn't happen overnight. We spend months and, sometimes, even years working towards a single goal and after we lose that initial flare of passion, it is normal to plateau. Sometimes we lose sight of our original goal or start to feel like we're just spinning our tires and not really going anywhere. I think this happens more often when we forget to record and reflect on the milestones that we have achieved while in pursuit of an ultimate goal. It can feel like we are just floating through space, completely untethered. 

We must keep a constant and clear vision of what we want to accomplish, but it is equally as important to remember what we have already achieved, because you deserve to be proud of all of the work you have been putting in towards achieving your dreams!

So, what constitutes as a milestone? How do we know when we have reached one?

You get to decide for yourself what counts as a milestone for you, but the way to figure this out is by writing down your ultimate goal (examples include earning a degree in Anthropology or losing 15 pounds) and then breaking down that goal into realistic and concrete steps you will achieve on the way. Then decide ahead of time how you will celebrate these achievements. Remember that it's okay to reward yourself. You've been working so hard and you've come so far!

Using my examples from above, if your goal is to earn a degree, then you can celebrate each time you pass a class or you can even celebrate each time you pass a test in one of your classes to keep yourself constantly motivated and focused on your goal! If you want to lose 15 pounds, then reward yourself for every 5 pounds lost, but remember to be proud of each and every single pound that you lose! Even losing just one pound is one step closer to your goal!

You can celebrate by treating yourself to that book or dress or piece of art that you have been admiring online for months now! You can invite your friends and family to go somewhere fun so they can celebrate with you and share your achievements! How you reward yourself is completely up to you, but remember to decide what your milestones are and to reward yourself often enough that you are not losing sight of the ultimate prize and getting discouraged from a perceived lack of progress.

Always remember that even if you haven't reached the finish line yet, you are still achieving great things right at this very moment if you are working towards a goal. Don't lose sight of your dreams! Celebrate how far you've come!