Tuesday Thoughts And Small wins

Isabelle

5 days ago

6 min read

The People Who Celebrate Your Small Wins

Dear Friends,

Have you ever shared something you were excited about with someone, only to have the conversation move on as if you hadn't said anything at all? Perhaps you had finally done something that took courage, made a decision you had been struggling with, or taken a small step toward a dream you had been carrying for years. It mattered to you. You were proud of yourself. And you hoped, perhaps without even realizing it, that the other person would share a little of that excitement.

Instead, you were met with silence, a quick change of subject, or perhaps a comment that made your achievement seem less important than you thought it was.

It is a small moment, really. Nothing dramatic happened. And yet, something feels a little disappointing.

Because sometimes, we don't need advice, solutions, or someone to explain how we could have done it better. Sometimes, we just want someone to say, "That's wonderful! I'm happy for you!"

And I have been thinking about how much those little moments matter.

The victories nobody sees

We are pretty good at recognizing the big milestones in life. We celebrate graduations, weddings, new jobs, and major achievements. We send flowers, buy gifts, take pictures, and raise a glass.

But what about the victories that don't come with a ceremony?

The woman who finally sets a boundary after years of saying yes when she really means no. The friend who starts taking care of herself after putting everyone else first for decades. The woman who walks into a room alone, even though she feels nervous, because she has decided not to wait for someone else to accompany her. The person who tries again after a disappointment, even when a part of her is afraid to fail.

Or perhaps it is something much simpler. You finally tackle that project you've been putting off. You sign up for a class you've always wanted to take. You make a decision that feels right for you, even though it might not make sense to everyone around you.

These things might seem small to someone else. But we know what it took to get there.

Sometimes, the victory isn't even the thing we accomplished. It is the person we had to become to accomplish it.

And those moments deserve to be acknowledged, even if nobody else knows how much courage, effort, or determination they required.

Pay attention to who celebrates with you

We often talk about the importance of having people around us who support us during difficult times. We want friends who listen when our hearts are broken, who show up when life gets messy, and who remind us that we are not alone.

But I wonder if we pay enough attention to another side of friendship: the people who can genuinely celebrate when something good happens to us.

Who remembers that you were nervous about a conversation and asks you afterward how it went? Who remembers the dream you told them about six months ago and wants to know whether you have made any progress? Who notices that you seem happier, more confident, or more at peace with yourself?

And when you share something you are proud of, who allows you to enjoy that moment without immediately offering advice, pointing out what could go wrong, or turning the conversation toward their own accomplishments?

We don't need people to applaud every little thing we do. And not everyone expresses enthusiasm in the same way. But there is a difference between someone who simply has a quiet way of showing they care and someone who repeatedly makes us feel that our achievements, dreams, or happiness are somehow insignificant.

There is something beautiful about being around people who don't feel threatened by our growth, who don't need to compete with us, and who can be genuinely happy for us without making the moment about themselves.

We should be able to share our joy without feeling that we need to apologize for it, explain it, or make it smaller so that someone else feels comfortable.

And perhaps, as we grow older, we become a little more selective about where we invest our time and energy. Not because we expect perfection from our relationships, but because we begin to understand how valuable it is to feel seen, encouraged, and appreciated.

We may not need a bigger circle of friends. We may simply need to recognize and nurture the relationships in which we can be fully ourselves, including the parts of us that are still growing.

Be the person who notices

There is another side to this, though, and it might be the most important one.

While we are looking for people who celebrate our small wins, how often do we do that for others?

We get busy. We have our own responsibilities, worries, and plans. We listen to a friend talk about something exciting, smile, and then move on to the next topic. We might genuinely care about her, but we don't always take the extra moment to let her know that what she shared mattered to us.

What if we became a little more intentional about noticing?

What if we remembered that our friend was going to try something new and checked in to see how it went? What if we told someone that we admired the courage it took to make a difficult decision? What if we acknowledged the effort behind an achievement rather than simply commenting on the result?

It doesn't have to be elaborate. A text message, a sincere compliment, a few words of encouragement, or a question that shows we remembered can mean more than we realize.

And we don't have to wait until someone has accomplished something extraordinary. We can celebrate the effort, the progress, and the willingness to try.

Because sometimes, what a person needs most isn't someone to tell her what to do next. She needs someone to recognize how far she has already come.

We may never fully know what it means to another person when we take the time to notice. But we can be certain that our words have the potential to encourage someone to keep going.

Perhaps this is one of the ways we leave a legacy, too. Not only through the things we accomplish or the lessons we teach, but through the way we make other people feel about themselves and their possibilities.

Imagine how different our relationships might feel if we all became a little better at celebrating one another.

A little challenge for this week

I would love to invite you to try something with me this week.

First, think of one person in your life who has been working toward something, facing a challenge, or taking steps to make a change. It doesn't have to be a big accomplishment. Maybe she has been trying to take better care of herself, learning something new, or finding the courage to do something outside her comfort zone.

Reach out to her. Tell her what you have noticed. Acknowledge her effort. Celebrate her progress. Be specific, and let her know that you see her.

Then, I want you to do one more thing.

Pay attention to your own small wins this week. Don't wait for someone else to notice them before allowing yourself to feel proud. If you have taken a step that matters to you, acknowledge it. Share it with someone who will appreciate it, or simply take a moment to recognize it yourself.

And as you go through the week, notice who in your life makes room for your happiness, your growth, and your dreams. Not to judge people over a single interaction, but to become more aware of the relationships that nourish you and the ones in which you may be doing most of the encouraging.

We cannot control how other people respond to us. But we can choose to become more intentional about the people we invest in and the kind of presence we offer to others.

So here is my question for you: Who is one person who celebrates your small wins, and what is one small win you can celebrate in someone else this week?

I'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments, reply to this email, or simply take a moment to reflect on these questions for yourself. And if you take on this week's little challenge, I'd love to hear how it goes.

Because sometimes, a few sincere words are all it takes to remind someone that what they are doing matters, that their efforts are seen, and that they don't have to wait until they achieve something extraordinary to be celebrated.

PS: Message me for a free consult to start moving toward a more confident you.

You are loved. Deeply loved. Loved beyond measure.