Getting through the days right now is a daunting challenge. With anxiety from the current pandemic continuing and constrained relationships, we can lose track of our goals. Previously, we discussed the importance of our mental health and how it plays a role in our “pandemic fatigue” state. With so much going on, we tend to forget what we want to do and lose our motivation. It makes celebrating victories during the pandemic almost unheard of.
Amid an unknown future however, milestones and victories should be recognised. Celebrating small wins, in particular, is important for our well-being, now more than ever. Whether at work or at home, recognising small victories during the pandemic impact us in ways we don’t realize. Several ‘small wins’ you experience happen as part of your daily life. As such, they can be easily overlooked and deemed too trivial to even remember. However, they help us stay focused and serve as a reminder of how we should tackle each day with others.
No Victory Is Too Small
Even before the pandemic, you would hear people say how important small victories are. Taking time to celebrate them kept people focused and reminded them of the bigger goals that they want to achieve. When some people look back at the past year however, they might feel that there is nothing worth celebrating. With uncertainty about the future and plenty of difficult to read news pieces, acknowledging or celebrating victories during the pandemic does not seem right.
Celebrations – big or small – can be seen as a way of showing gratitude and thankfulness. Thus, the celebrating of small victories can make people more hopeful and less anxious amidst the global pandemic. They can recognize things they are thankful for, or engage in their interest as a way to celebrate. Here are some ways to celebrate small victories and why it is important to do.
Appreciate Even the Trivial Things
Most of us have gone through low points during this pandemic. With social distancing guidelines in place, many people are going through it alone at home. Our lack of physical social interactions made us realize the value of staying connected and how a simple message can mean the world. By making time for others even with the simplest of gestures, you could have helped someone immensely without even realising you did.
We talked about how several people felt they were experiencing pandemic fatigue and not sensing any meaningful development. As awful as these feelings are, what’s important is to realize that you powered through. You mustered up the energy amidst a low point in your life and made it to the next day. Which is something you’ve been doing again and again.
This may not seem like much, especially if you’ve had several bad days recently. But that also does not mean you should deprive yourself from having good days too. Feel bad during an off day, but also remember that there were some good things worth thinking about. Your friends, family, and even pet make up a sturdy support network when you need it the most. Who knows? Your own positive outlook may also influence those closest to you in helping cheer up and getting the emotional support they need.
New Look, New You
A common story in this pandemic is people discovering new hobbies and interests. If you managed to find a creative outlet for your artistic side, that should be commended. Being and staying creative is time well-spent in discovering more about yourself. Whether you’ve taken up gardening, baking or just began to read more books, there are several ways you can broaden your horizons.
Self-care is also something that more people have taken to heart. During the early part of the pandemic, people thought more time at home meant being able to get work done. However, as time went on, some began to see the opposite. Many stuck at home fell into a typical routine where they go about their day without a change of clothes. As the old saying goes however, when you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you also do good. Congratulate yourself for finding the motivation to get up each day to face what’s ahead. It can take a lot to find the drive to get ready, so don’t sell yourself short even if it took you awhile.
This doesn’t also just stop with continuing to feel and dress the part too. For instance, staying healthy during such a stressful time is the biggest challenge for many. With more time at home and fewer places to be, we might find ourselves disrupting our nutrition. While it’s fine to indulge once in a while, keeping yourself healthy is what matters.
Always Be Good To Yourself
You may not realize it, but observing social distancing rules is probably the biggest victory worth celebrating. With more studies showing how they reduce the risk of disease spreading, you’ve made a big difference in helping fight against the pandemic. By being careful with your interactions, you keep both yourself and others safe. Putting other people front and center above your own needs is highly commendable.
You may have read this piece thinking that all the examples listed were trivial and not really that important. It’s true that finding victories during such a trying time can be difficult. Having an unclear future or worrying about your loved ones may make it hard to appreciate “the little things in life.” Which is why it is important to celebrate victories of any kind and of any size. Eventually, you may begin to see the bigger picture and go on to celebrate even bigger things. Appreciating how your simple actions can have the biggest impact is just the start to something even bigger.
