Driven by ambition, regret, or perhaps even guilt, many of you are creating new plans and goals for next year before the proverbial ink is dry on this one. I was doing that too. Then it hit me. I needed to take some of my own advice to slow down and savor the moment. It’s time to celebrate our wins and release our failures.

This year rocked, and it’s time to celebrate, smell the roses, and give back.

Celebrating your big and small accomplishments is about pausing to notice all the good in your life. It’s a brief intermission that allows you to recall your hard work, determination, and persistence. Time to reflect on your values, skills, and abilities.

Focusing on those things can, in turn, inspire you to pursue new and increasing goals.

Celebrating your wins not only feels great physically, but it reinforces the positive attitude and behavior you want to show up when you face a new challenge or opportunity. ~Bill Carmody, Inc.com

Times of celebration create moments to be mindful which in turn improves your wellbeing. When you stop to savor the good, you build up favorable emotions enabling you to manage daily situations and stresses more easily. And this helps to increase your adaptability.

Celebrate Your Wins

Feel free to order balloons and get gussied up, but fancy foods and primping aren’t required. Yoga pants, boxed wine, and the right candlelight can put you in the celebratory mood too. Just practice the ideas below and honor yourself.

1. Notice, name, and write it down.

What precisely did you accomplish and what makes you proud? What is going well in your life? How do these things make you feel?

Perhaps you learned a new skill at work, earned money from a side hustle, aided a friend or family member in need, or forgave a past wrong. Acknowledge your positive actions and whats working in your life, and you’ll find things to celebrate.

Recognize who helped you as well. Did your spouse do the majority of grocery shopping and meal preparation so you could be free to write? Did your work mentor introduce you to the perfect new role? Are your kids doing their homework and chores without having to be asked more than twice?  Is your community supporting your efforts and spreading your message?

Recall who’s provided motivation, support, guidance, or a helping hand to salute them as well.

2. Make it special.

Find a special place to celebrate. A cozy room in your home, a tub full of bubbles, or under your favorite tree in the backyard, someplace that gives you joy. Invite a loved one to commemorate with you or bask in the moment alone.

3. Applaud yourself.

Let your hair down or style a mohawk, pop the cork or bottle cap, eat chocolate (dark of course), say a prayer or sing a song. Feel the pride, positive energy, and goodness. Celebrate it all. The meaning, friendship, love, and wonder you’ve brought to your life.

Savor the moment. Don’t rush it. But don’t gloat either. Tomorrow is another day, and there’s more Beatitudo to accomplish.

A Slow Yet Quick’ish Start, a Rockstar Win, Grandma Status, and Almost Double Commas

I published my first post here in early February 2017 after holding the domain for three years. A bit of a slow start I’d say. But with a feature in a Sunday Camp FIRE post on Get Rich Quick’ish, things started to heat up. I got my very first comment from Erik, The Mastermind Within, and I’ve loved this blogging thing since.

I’ve experienced a few wins, including some freelance writing work, additional featured posts, and an epic FinCon experience. All I was still left wanting was a Rockstar Feature for Christmas.

Fortunately, I wrote a post worthy of that honor. After first being mentioned in The Three Year Experiment, and recognized on ThinkSaveRetire.com as part of a Friday Feast, How to Be Happy was chosen as a ‘Today’s Best Feature’ on Rockstar Finance!

The good times kept rolling when it was also featured on The Financial Diet, and Physician On Fire’s The Sunday Best (12/17/2017).

AND then on top of all that, in the same week, my first grandchild arrived. A healthy baby girl who now has my heart.

Plus, we bought a rental property and became landlords, increased our net worth over $125k, and are nearing the double comma club. This wild market is enhancing our journey to financial independence, but we are doing much on our own part to earn, save, and invest as well – hat tip ESIMoney.

Releasing My Failures

Amongst all the good this year, there were some hiccups too. I’m still not a Ninja or a Spartan, thanks to a shoulder I reinjured – I’m working towards it next year though. And I enrolled in way too many online courses that I’ve not yet finished.

What’s that quote? “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year…” It seems I thought I could do 4 hours of work in 1 hour of time way too often.

Reality bites sometimes. But now I know better about what it takes to work full-time, run a blog, stay balanced, and be happy. Which probably means I’ll make maybe only 75 mistakes next year instead of 100. That’s okay though as I learn from each one.

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” ~ Albert Einstein

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” ~ Napoleon Hill

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” ~ Winston Churchill

Going Forward

I’m still figuring out the practical details on my big picture thinking for next year. But I know this. I’m enjoying what I do here, and I want to continue growing myself and this site.

I hope I’m providing you with tangible information and inspiration also to find those things that light you up. To aid you in creating greater health, wealth, happiness, and joy in your life. Please let me know how else I can help or other topics you’d like me to write about. Comment below or send me an email – Amy at lifezemplified.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Giving Back

We’ve got a few charities that we donate to throughout the year, but I always find myself at the end of the year wanting to give back more. If you do too and you’re not sure where to donate, please consider your local food bank, local domestic abuse shelter, the Red Cross or where some of my money goes.

Thank you for being here, reading and sharing my writings and recipes, supporting and motivating me, participating, commenting, and teaching me too.

I wish you a safe and happy holiday season and a rocking new year!

XOXOXO,

Amy

How are you celebrating your wins this year? You are celebrating, aren’t you!?