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The Importance of Celebrating

by | Mar 4, 2011 | General Career Advice

The Importance of CelebratingYou may have noticed that it’s been a little quiet around here. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been going through a pretty big transition. At this point, things are starting to slow down and life should (hopefully) return to normal (or some semblance of) before long. So look out for more frequent blog posts in the near future.

For now, though, I wanted to share a little bit about what I’ve been doing and what I’ve learned recently. As many of you already know, I’ve been very fortunate in my career. Several years ago, another website I created was purchased by a company called OfficeArrow and, in the process, I was hired to be the Managing Editor there. This was an amazing opportunity and one that truly changed my life in more ways than I can count.

However, we all continue growing and, at some point, I realized that OfficeArrow and I were growing in different directions. It wasn’t anyone’s fault…it was just a fact. I wanted to spend more time coaching and writing, but my role as Managing Editor at a demanding start-up company meant my days were full with a variety of “other” tasks. I was starting to feel that my true passions weren’t being honored and I knew something had to change.

To make this long story a little shorter, I’ll jump ahead. I’ve been slowly transitioning out of the company for nearly a year. I cut my hours, began training others on how to do my tasks, and started focusing on building my coaching clientele. I also continued growing my freelance work. All in all, I made the conscious decision to let go of what wasn’t working. That doesn’t mean it was easy or that I didn’t question my choice many times. But I put a plan in place and followed it.

This week, I had my official “last day” working with OfficeArrow. And while it wasn’t a particularly emotional experience, it was a significant step in my career. It was kind of like saying “goodbye” to an era, and “hello” to many new, exciting opportunities.

So here I am — in a good place, albeit a slightly scary one. Change, no matter how well you prepare for it, always brings a certain amount of fear. I’m okay with that. I’m working through it.

This transition I’m going through is the result of attaining a big career goal. I’ve released something that was no longer serving me in order to embrace things that are better aligned with who I am and what I want. And this is worth celebrating. I have to remind myself that it’s okay to take some time to simply sit back and breathe and recognize my achievement. This is what I’m learning. I don’t need to just move on to the next thing.

Many of us have trouble relaxing long enough to realize how far we’ve come. We’re always looking ahead, setting new goals and continuing the path of progress. In some ways, it becomes an obsession. We build up momentum and the idea of slowing down starts to seem like such a waste.

This was the mentality that gripped me earlier this week. I crossed “OfficeArrow” off my proverbial list and started thinking about the next thing I wanted to attack. But really, that’s not fair. I need to celebrate. I need to grab a lounge chair and sit in the sunshine for a while. I need to NOT tackle my to-do list.

Celebrating our achievements can be hard. We’re trained to be humble and shake off praise with modesty and humility. But there’s value in celebration. Taking the time to reflect and rejoice in the moment is a gift we deserve. So I’m taking that time.

I’m asking you to celebrate with me today. Not for me, but with me. Celebrate YOUR accomplishments. Throw a party in honor of all things you’ve done that brought you here, because wherever you are, it took effort. Give yourself a hearty pat on the back and don’t listen to The Saboteur when he says, “It was nothing.”  Your work, your time, your energy—they all matter. You’re here because of your actions. Buy yourself a cupcake at lunch. Take yourself to a movie tonight. Whatever you do, no matter how big or how small, just celebrate.

You have permission to bask in your own glory, today and every day.

Photo Credit: ewan traveler (Flickr)

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About the Author

Chrissy Scivicque is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and certified Professional Career Manager (PCM). She is an author, in-demand presenter and international speaker known for engaging, entertaining, educating and empowering audiences of all sizes and backgrounds. Learn more here.

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