The Importance Of Celebrating Your Own Achievements
Do you also know the struggle when it comes to celebrating your own achievements? I’m not necessarily talking about the big reasons for celebration, such as getting a new job or getting married. Instead, I’m relating to the many small moments in our daily lives when something new happens. If you have a child, you probably celebrate so many small, yet significant milestones: your baby’s first steps, their first words, their first solo mouthful of food. But when was the last time you celebrated your own achievements, your own successes, even those nobody else would consider to be a victory.
Realizing that something was achieved
Some time ago I started suffering from headaches. In the beginning, I didn’t pay much attention to them. I was sure that they would simply pass just as quickly as they had appeared. When this didn’t happen, they started to worry me. This led me to contact my physician, as well as book a session with a Pantarei practitioner. (This felt like such a luxury: to book sessions rather than to give them).
Magically, the two first sessions were so effective. They allowed me to explore some parts of my past that limited my future wishes. There were many emotions involved in these sessions, and it felt like such a relief to open a space for them. On the physical level, my headaches disappeared. And a new way of perceiving my life started to evolve. When I met my practitioner for our third session, I already started talking about something completely different. In such a short period of time, the experience of those headaches and the initial reasons for going to my practitioner already seemed like old history.
When we both realized this, we laughed and took a moment to acknowledge this shared achievement. For me personally, it was also a moment in which I could celebrate the Pantarei Approach, and how proud I was to teach it to others. This might sound like a lot, but this acknowledgment took just a minute of our session, yet it was a minute well spent.
The rest of our session built upon the sensation of what was achieved. This was a perfect foundation for what was yet to come. Celebrating your own achievements, big or small is a practice that is worthwhile. In fact, it allows us to be in control of our own lives, to move forward in a more focused way, while realizing all that has been accomplished.
Being praised by others, being criticized by others
There is so much research that shows the importance of celebrating your own achievements. Ben Renshaw, renowned leadership coach, speaker and author, says that: “On average by the age of eighteen we will have been praised and encouraged 30,000 times – and most of this . . . by the time we are three. By contrast, we will have been criticized and discouraged over 250,000 times.” Well, it’s no wonder we’re so focused on what goes wrong!”
That sounds about right, and it is no wonder that we need to learn to notice our own accomplishments, rather than to focus on the negative.
Your success in your eyes and in the eyes of others
The main question is whether you can celebrate your own achievements regardless of how others see them. Furthermore, can you celebrate your own achievements even when others don’t acknowledge them as such? Let’s say, that you argued with your partner. You probably don’t feel well about it, and you would find it difficult to add it to your list of achievements. However, if you took a look closer, you might realize that at this moment you were able to set your boundaries or express something that is important to you. Maybe you found a way of leading the argument towards a positive change? Can you look back at the same argument and identify your achievement in it? What did your partner achieve? And what was did this achieve for your relationship?
If your answer to all of the above questions is that there were no achievements, just a lingering bad taste, and a bad feeling, then think further. What could change this sensation so that the argument can transform the situation into a desired one? What would you now like to say, in order to change that lingering ‘bad taste”? Would you like to change something, or even ask for support?
Acknowledging and validating your achievements
Any processes in life; any transformative experiences contain moments of achievement. Acknowledge them. And when you celebrate your own achievements, even if only with a smile to yourself, you validate them. As such, you give them importance. This doesn’t mean that you will invite yourself for dinner or buy yourself a present for every little milestone reached. However, you will enjoy many moments of realization.
Wow, today I allowed myself to rest, yesterday I was direct with someone, and tomorrow I would like to add an hour for some physical activities.
Every such moment in your day adds to your sense of contentment, and happiness. It will add to your self-confidence by reinforcing that you can achieve what you set out to do. The experience of celebrating your achievements is an important one, as it will lead you to wish more and pursue your dreams. What you are proud of achieving is unique, and has nothing to do with what society considers as an achievement. For one person, earning a lot of money means the world to them, while for another, it is more important to get a smile from a loved one. What is important, is to recognize what your achievements are. What is it that you would consider to be a victory?
Practice realizing achievements
In the sessions I give my clients I make sure to mention their achievements along the way. To mention just how much I appreciate it when a person manages to feel their strength for the first time. And even more so, to use their strength in their day-to-day. It can be the man who managed to tell the truth about what he felt to his friend, the woman who took her first step towards searching for a new job, or any one of the many achievements we all can experience related to what matters to us.
Celebrating Pantarei
The Pantarei Approach turned 5 this year, and next week we will open our 10th class. This is certainly a reason for celebration, and we are doing our best to remember this throughout the day while enjoying the many tasks needed to be completed in preparation for our next class.
We certainly celebrate the vibrant community of Pantarei practitioners and clients, students, and friends. Grateful for it all. Thank You.
Written by Vered Manasse, co-founder of the Pantarei Approach
