For a long time, I didn’t really know how to celebrate.
After finishing big projects—some of them years in the making—I would do the same thing every time. I’d proudly check it off the list, take a breath, and immediately set my sights on the next goal. There was always something else to build, achieve, or manifest. Even the wins that should have felt monumental passed by almost unnoticed until one day, it dawned on me:
Where was the elation? Where was the gratitude?
This isn’t uncommon. In fact, it’s almost encouraged. We live in a culture that rewards forward motion, productivity, and ambition—but rarely teaches us how to pause and receive what we’ve already created. We’re conditioned to believe that slowing down after a win is indulgent, that celebration is perpetually premature, or that satisfaction will somehow dull our drive.
But neuroscience tells a very different story.
This probably won’t come as news to anyone but the brain doesn’t thrive on endless striving. Research shows that recognizing and really receiving our successes, big or small, activates the brain’s reward system, which releases dopamine and reinforces positive behavior. This process fosters a sense of accomplishment and progress and boosts self-efficacy and self-esteem. Thus, when people celebrate their achievements, they are more likely to remain motivated and pursue further goals, creating a positive feedback loop of success and satisfaction.
Skipping the celebration, however, has larger consequences than you might think. In their book The Burnout Challenge, Harvard researchers Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter identify insufficient rewards as one of the six reasons people experience burnout. This makes sense from a spiritual perspective as well.
Kabbalah teaches that blessings must be received in order for us to expand. If we don’t pause to take in what we’ve earned, what we’ve learned, or how far we’ve come, we unknowingly block the flow of more. Gratitude isn’t indulgent, it’s a profound spiritual practice. It is a key component in creating the vessel for our goals and desire to manifest. We don’t have to wait to scratch massive milestones off the list and, in fact, you can begin today. You can even retroactively celebrate!
Maybe there was a difficult conversation that you handled differently.
Maybe there was a boundary you held when you would have otherwise caved in.
Perhaps it was a moment where you found compassion over judgment.
These moments may not look impressive from the outside, but internally, they represent transformation. When we skip over them, we skip over ourselves, our effort, and the very real, tangible change that we’re creating. Celebrating our achievements and acknowledging our growth builds self-esteem, it nurtures our trust in the Creator, and fends off the trappings of perfectionism, cynicism, and exhaustion.
I have called myself a Change Junkie many times but getting addicted to change is never and has never been about seeking change for change’s sake. In fact, taking time to appreciate where you are now and all that you’ve created is an integral part of embracing change. We arrived in this world to transform but we also are meant to receive, to feel fulfilled, and to share. How can we do this without taking the time to relish and savor the fruits of all of our work.
So before you move on to the next goal—pause.
Take it in.
Name what you did.
Acknowledge the effort it took to get here.
Ask yourself:
What deserves to be celebrated right now?
What have I forgotten to celebrate in the past?
Our joy, fulfillment, and peace all exist right here, today. This moment is the only moment where we can really receive anything. So acknowledge yourself. Congratulate yourself. And really allow those positive feelings of appreciation and gratitude to fill you up.
Make it a practice at the end of the day, the week, and each month to list your wins. Share them with a friend or your family, create celebration practices within your home, and build upon those positive feelings. A foundation of gratitude invites endless possibilities…
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