CELEBRATE THE SMALL WINS

I remember sitting across my therapist in a deep and introspective session about how I didn’t feel fulfilled when it comes to my career and achievements. He said rhetorically; “You have worked with influential people, created brand plans and strategies for many creatives who are at the top of the industry not just in Nigeria but globally yet you don’t feel fulfilled?”. In a low tone, I mumbled ‘YES’. Then he said, “You probably don’t celebrate your achievements and little victories”. I chuckled as I said ‘YES’ again. 

At that moment, it actually dawned on me that I never celebrate or acknowledge any of my achievements, wins or the little impacts I make in my community, career-wise and among friends or family. A friend and former colleague gave me the nickname ‘TheMachine’, not because of how zealous or efficient I was but particularly because I kept going from one project to another without taking a breather. I never stopped for even one second to evaluate what I have done, how it impacted me just as much as it has impacted other people, the hurdles and lessons learned from the projects. I just kept going. Along the way, I experienced burnout which didn’t come in form of physical exhaustion but came as a mindset thing, it infringed on my mental health and the passion for my creativity and what I do. It came as a lack of fulfilment for the things I did and the career I loved so much.

Eventually, it led to me feeling unworthy of good things, having a successful career and even to the point of asking myself if my creativity was worth it. The more I wallowed and gloated, the more this mindset of lack and ingratitude started to seep in and I took this energy to other important jobs that I performed woefully because I was unenthusiastic and wasn’t giving my best efforts. I took a break from the media and creative industry, trying to convince myself about finding a new path, something that would be fulfilling but to no avail until I sat down with my journal and a pen and started to take stock of my skills, my passion and achievements. I learned this technique in a workshop called ‘Dreamterpreters’. The workshop taught me about the importance of taking a personal inventory as well as how to switch on my light and discover my purpose.

I continued to use this technique I had learned frequently and it dawned on me just how much I took myself for granted. More so, my God-given gifts, creativity and achievements. Now, I appreciate myself more. I celebrate the little wins and acknowledge them. I let myself sit with that feeling and bask in the fact that I have conceptualized, developed and executed something that turned out to be a success. The more you celebrate your wins, particularly the small ones, the more you create room for more wins and success. As a creative, I know how quick we are to keep pushing especially with the hustle mentality but it is important to take a breather and acknowledge the success and end of a project or goal or task before moving on to the next one. By celebrating your wins, you boost your confidence and invite in the energy that will put you in alignment with what you want or have envisioned for yourself.