I’m celebrating the milestones on the way to my ultimate fitness goal and here’s why you should too!
Two years ago when I was working my way out of a bit of a rut, a wise woman told me that I should take time to celebrate the little victories that I accomplish on the way to reaching any major goal. And she would say, make it intentional, set a timer for at least 15 minutes and use that time to congratulate yourself!
When I first did it, I felt a little silly, “Yay, I got out of the bed and went to the gym 3 times this week, Par-tay!!”
But then I got over myself and really got into it, and I realized the wisdom in that small piece of advice. So I’ve kept it close to my heart and I’ve incorporated it into my life.
You see, I can be very hard on myself. I’m sure many of you can relate. I have laser like focus on my goals. Nothing else matters and everything else is put on pause until I achieve what I set out to. Focus and determination are great, but I often forget to pause, look up, and acknowledge all the little accomplishments I make along the way. Which by the way, aren’t little at all – every accomplished goal is made up of a bunch of little accomplishments.
A Little Celebration Never Hurt Nobody
And the size of the celebration doesn’t matter, it’s really about pausing for a moment and giving yourself credit for the work you’ve put in - to encourage yourself along the journey.
My fitness journey is going to be a long one. And if I’m going to be able to stick with it, I will need to some encouragement along the way. Waiting for “large” milestones to congratulate myself will not to keep me going.
Guys, I am thisclose to hitting my 20 pound major milestone and I have been constantly watching the scale ounce by ounce as it creeps lower. But I need a break from “scale watch” and I am going to celebrate, treat and congratulate myself on the victories I’ve won thus far!
3 Celebrations For 3 Victories
VICTORY #1
I bought a size large dress and jean jacket for my upcoming trip to Dubai and had to return it because... It. Was. Too. Big!!! Woohoo, your girl is slimming down!
So I celebrated by painting my nails – which I haven’t done since my wedding day.
I always feel more beautiful when my nails are done
This leads me to …
VICTORY #2
I can fit into my favorite jean jacket again! I’ve had this jacket for years and I wore it whether it was in style or not. I didn't care. I just love this jacket. But, I had to put it aside because it no longer fit. So I purchased the above mentioned jean jacket as a replacement but, no need. Because I can fit into my favorite jacket again and I will continue to wear it whether in style or not, lol.
And I celebrated by purchasing waist beads. I’ve wanted this for a little while now and tried to buy them online but they are charging $40 and up for these things! That’s crazy.
But, I found this one for $5 from a vendor on 125th Street in Harlem. Double win!
If you want to know about the history of waist beads and their African origin, check out this link Royal Waist Bead History
I'm not waiting till my abs come in before I rock my waist beads
VICTORY #3
I can take off my Engagement ring! This is huge for me, not because I don’t want to wear my ring or want to go for even a second without wearing it but since I wasn't able to take it off, I haven’t been able to clean it since my husband gave it to me almost 2 years ago. So it doesn’t sparkle like it used to.
But to celebrate this win… I cleaned it. Duh, lol
Those are my wins and they may seem small to you but let me tell you they are MAJOR for me!
So what are some victories that you’ve won along your journey and how do you plan on celebrating them?