One of my favorite moments with my grandson, Bowe, and my dog, Rory, is when they play with the ball. Bowe is not quite a year old, so he is just learning to grasp the ball and then “throw” it, which consists of releasing it and letting it roll away. Rory will wait with anticipation and pounce on the ball as it rolls away from Bowe. At that moment, Bowe beams with pride and begins to clap his hands.
This interaction has warmed my heart. I love the joy that radiates from Bowe’s smile. He always looks to me to see if I saw what he did and am celebrating it to. It has made me wonder why we don’t do this more as adults. We have many moments each day to celebrate. Little accomplishments and achievements pass by without recognition. It’s easy to take the little wins in life for granted.
My former co-worker, Jo, was the best at celebrating wins in the office. In her desk drawer, she had a party kazoo that she would blow in celebration of the victories of her co-workers. It made the atmosphere fun, but I also remember beaming with pride like Bowe. It meant a great deal to me to not only be celebrated, but to also be reminded to celebrate those moments.
Think about that project that you’ve been working on for months that is now complete. Or, what about the little road block that you just figured out how to overcome? It might be learning a new skill, hitting a goal, or finishing a tedious task. These moments are worth celebrating.
Not only do I want to applaud myself like Bowe, I also want to share in the opportunities to applaud others. Life doesn’t have to be a competition. I can celebrate what those around me are doing as well as recognize them for the wins and successes they are having.
Go ahead, join me in applauding yourself and others.