Recently I’ve been putting in more of an effort about being intentional about celebrating the successes and victories that happen throughout my day. We all know that it is pretty easy to think about our failures and the negative aspects of our life. If you would ask me at the end of a day or week or year what my shortcoming and failures were, I could rattle off quite a number. I could easily tell you the areas that I want and/or need to develop and grow in. I can very easily talk about my problem areas and weaknesses, but if someone would come and ask me what my successes were or the good things that I’ve been able to do or accomplish, well…that’s just…awkward. That’s a little hard to talk about.

Not only it is hard to talk about, but it’s hard to find something to talk about.

Me? Successful? Good?

It’s not pride to realize that you’ve done something good, something right. It’s not pride to celebrate the successes and victories that you have. I think we need to do a lot more of it, actually.

Think about it…if we decided to dwell on the positive and successful aspects of our life and character, we will live from that, as opposed to dwelling on the negative and weak aspects of our life and character and living from that. You can do the exact same things in life (i.e. parent your kids, lead your business, learn something new, etc.) but if you do them from a place of success, it changes how you do them.

For example, I enjoy cooking. I’m not super good at it and definitely have my hit-and-miss tendencies when it comes to making something new or even something I’ve done for years (i.e. omelets). But I can either make food from a place of failure (i’m a bad cook trying to make good food) or I can cook from a place of success (i’m a good cook that sometimes makes bad food). If I cook from failure, I feel badly about myself the whole time I’m in the process. But if I cook from success, I can enjoy the time spent in the kitchen and also not take my mistakes so seriously when I do make them.

This principle can also apply in relationships, such as “I’m a bad wife/friend/leader trying to be a good one,” or “I’m a good wife/friend/leader that makes mistakes.”

If I approach a task or a relationship from a place of success with a chance of failure, it automatically gives me a boost in the right direction. If I approach something from a place of failure with a chance of success, it automatically gives me a shove in the wrong direction.

We all make mistakes. But the mistakes do not define you, and if we let them, we become only a shadow of all that we are meant to be.

What about you: do you find it easy to let mistakes define you? What areas do you want to focus on celebrating your successes?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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I’m a very typical type-A personality and really love my lists. I make lists for all kinds of things…grocery, meals, books-to-read, movies-to-watch, miscellaneous purchases, to-do, etc. I get some kind of wonked out satisfaction from crossing things off of a list, and I’ve actually been known to put something on a list that I’ve already done, just so I can cross it off.

So in typical type-A style, here’s my thankful list:

Relationship with God: Sometimes I try to stop and imagine how people live and feel without having hope in the Lord…how people live and feel without the peace and security and salvation of Jesus. I can’t fully imagine how this is, but I do know that I am very thankful for all the goodness and love from God.

My husband: This man is truly the greatest gift to me. He has absolutely blessed my socks off and I love being married to him more than anything else in this world.

Family: I also sometimes try to stop and imagine how people feel who don’t have family. I can’t imagine how lonely that must feel…I am incredibly blessed to have parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws that value each other and take care of each other.

Health: I take good health for granted far too much.

Good food and drink: I like this quote that says, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” I am grateful for good food and drink, and I think it is good and appropriate to appreciate and be thankful for this.

Music and song: I truly cannot imagine life without music.

Coffee and chocolate: Yes, these two get their own category.

Beauty: Sometimes I try to imagine what the world would be like if everything was just dull and uncreative. Imagine a world without colors or nature or sounds or smells or intricate details. There is so much beauty all around me and I like this.

Forgiveness: I am so thankful to live around people who are gracious and forgiving. I mess up sometimes, and what a good feeling it is to be forgiven.

And on a less serious note, I am also really thankful for socks, sweat pants, and fuzzy sweaters. It’s getting cooooold up here and while I really don’t mind it, I am just glad to have things to bundle up in.

Also thankful and excited to travel to the south for Thanksgiving with my family!

What about you: what are two things (one serious thing, one silly thing) you are thankful for this holiday?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!