Keeping the mind healthy and nurturing the soul is just as important as investing in our physical health. The mind is a powerful motivator when it comes to keeping our body healthy—and when we’re not feeling motivated, it becomes more difficult to keep up with healthy habits like exercise—so we must in turn inspire and nurture the mind to keep us living our best lives.
One way to keep spirits up is through recognizing personal milestones and triumphs. By celebrating achievements, no matter how small, it helps boost confidence in repeating the behavior, or being more outspoken, or be motivated to tackle even more! By acknowledging the effort we’ve put into whatever the task at hand is and celebrating the associated victory, we are investing in our positive mental health. We begin to operate from an optimistic place in this way; focusing on the positive rather than the “fight or flight”, “what could go wrong” mindset.
Another bonus byproduct of operating from this place of positivity is it fosters hope while opening us up to more possibility—and intrinsically therefore, equip us with the “go with the flow” skill as we’re able to find the positive even in the negative when faced with unexpected challenges.
What Are Personal Milestones and Triumphs?
Beyond birthdays, retirement, or running a marathon, there are plenty of achievements and milestones that we can celebrate on the regular. Learning a new skill, picking up a hobby you’ve always wanted to learn, finishing that long list of books finally, or even making a walk around the block a daily habit are all worthy of celebration. They meant enough to us to put on the ‘to do’ list originally, so why not be proud when you’ve accomplished them? There’s a lot to be said for quiet consistency as well: eating well, making regular quality time for family members and friends, or volunteering for the good of your community are all triumphs in their own right.
Celebrate Milestones and Triumphs Meaningfully
What are you proud of, and what brings you joy? Once you’ve identified your personal milestone or triumph, think of what makes you happy—is it a cappuccino out with a close friend? Something new to wear? Fresh cut flowers for the windowsill? Watching that new movie you’ve been too busy to catch? If it means something to you, it’s a worthy way to celebrate.
Perhaps you recognize that a dear friend or family member is working towards a goal, has met a milestone, or triumphed in some way. One of the best ways to celebrate them? Simply tell them they did well! Sharing success stories is a way to meaningfully connect as you truly listen before speaking, and are in the moment together. This mindful practice does double-duty of being engaged, nurturing social connections, and embracing change.
4 Ways To Track Your Triumphs
- Break your goal down into manageable milestones so that the big picture becomes a series of smaller, achievable steps.
- Steps to celebrate all the way along! Always track your triumphs so you know how far you’ve come. That alone is worth celebrating, no matter how far you still have to go.
- Journal! Journaling has a host of health benefits for seniors, but in this case, it’s a great visual way to track your milestones and achievements so you can really see the journey.
- Say thank you. Has someone in your life noticed the effort you’re making? Just like we tend to say ‘thank you, I got it on sale’ when someone compliments our new outfit, try to stop at just ‘thank you’. You’ve worked for it. You deserve it.
Progress Is Powerful
Recognizing our personal milestones and triumphs and then celebrating them proudly is part of living a mindful, purposeful life. At Verve Senior Living, we help our residents achieve this every single day through our Life Enrichment programs and in the way our professional staff is passionate about supporting those in their care. By celebrating progress, we inspire each other to keep striving. Keep enjoying life. And live with a grateful heart, always.
