Life as a homeschooling parent is always busy. As a mom, I always feel challenged and I am constantly learning. Sometimes, though, the day to day blends together and it is hard for me to feel energized or excited. Sometimes I even feel a lack of greatness in what I am doing.
I think in these moments, I can learn the most by watching my children. They find joy and validation in the simplest victories, and I am usually right there cheering them on too. Becoming my own cheerleader and claiming my own small victories reminds me that I have done well. Whether I have made dinner every night without succumbing to the fast food or delivery temptations, returned ALL the library books on time (no fines!), held my cool during a public child meltdown, or one of the 100′s of the should-do-but don’t-always-do parts of just being Mom, I am going to celebrate.
As adults, we get dulled to the “magic” of doing something for the first time or really doing something well. We raise our voices in cheers for our children, but rarely do it for ourselves or our spouses. Why?
This fall, I am making a special effort to claim my own victories and I am not going to do it silently. I am going to yell “Hurray!” when the books slide through the book slot, I will dance around the table on Friday night when the final home cooked meal for the week is served, I will indulge in a single piece of just-for-the-occasion- chocolate when I stay cool in the face of a meltdown, I will proclaim loudly “That is a beautifully folded stack of laundry!”
Will you join me? I would love to hear about your small victories and how you celebrated them.
Melissa is a dancing a jig for completing this post to share with you. See her other mini celebrations at HopeSprouts.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this! :D Great photo, great words, great idea! We really do need to celebrate the little daily vicotories… after all – life is what is happening RIGHT NOW… “while we’re busy making plans.” Thanks for the post!
Corine :D
I am right there with you on the “Sometimes I even feel a lack of greatness in what I am doing.” Let me say that recently, I have pretty much all day felt a lack of greatness in what I am doing!
So, thank you for this post. Thank you for the reminder to celebrate small victories. Along with this, I am going to make the effort to be thankful for each and every victory along with each and every trial. Being thankful is sometimes difficult, but I firmly believe that thanksgiving produces joy!
Great post!
Too often I get focused on the ‘big’ victories, but it is the everyday ones that I should be acknowledging. I really enjoyed this post, thanks!
Great post! One of my favorite sayings is “I can’t swing a cat around here without seeing something I SHOULD do.” Now, of course, I never swing cats. That aside, focusing on all of the small things that I do get done sounds like a MUCH healthier attitude!
Samantha
Samantha´s last [type] ..Favorite Curriculum By Subject
Beautifully put and so true.
Love this post. I think this is applicable to everyone everyday. We all need to enjoy the little things and celebrate them. That is the best way to stay happy and love your life.
I’ve always noticed I am the least content when I focus on the negatives and what didnt’ get done.
Live for today!!!
AprilS´s last [type] ..8th Grade Math – Subtracting Polynomials
Great post! We’re always the first to beat ourselves up over the small things; I’m going to make a conscious effort to celebrate the small victories, or at least celebrate being here to mess things up in the first place!
Thank you for this timely reminder to celebrate ourselves as much as we do our children. I would also follow up on your mention of one’s spouse. Sometimes we get so busy with all the requirements of the day that we (or maybe just me) end up being a drill sergeant even to our husband. Whether they’ve left their clothes in the bathroom for the umpteenth time or not, we need to obviously appreciate them for what they have done right (like going to work every day whether they feel like it or not).
I always do a mental jig every time I return the library books without fines (I swear we keep the library going single-handed). ;)
Thanks for the encouragement,
Ana
Ana´s last [type] ..The semblance of a normal life…