Let’s face it, we’ve all done it.
How many times have you been so busy going from one goal to the other, without taking a moment to stop and take stock of your achievements.
We’re all so busy planning our next move, our next goal, our next milestone that we forget to be present in the here and now. We keep saying to ourselves, “I’ll be satisfied once I achieve this or that, do this or that..” We are always looking to the future to bring us happiness, to the detriment of our joy in the present.
My younger brother is one of my absolute favourite people in the world, not to mention one of the smartest and most talented human beings I know – He usually loses me at ‘hello’.
A few years ago, he decided to quit the corporate world and follow his happiness; and that happiness comes in the form of clean living for my brother. Whether it’s spending time in nature, riding his bike instead of driving, making his own almond milk or only buying all-natural toothpaste; he is so effortless in his pursuit and mindful in his decision.
So it came as no surprise to me when he decided it would be fun to start brewing his own Apple Cider and add clean(er) drinking too his lifestyle. What started as a curiosity and a project he could enjoy with our father in my parents’ garage has now turned into an Apple Cider brand that is on the cusp of being launched to market.
I was blown away by the level of detail, dedication, precision and hours that he spent perfecting his ability and knowledge in the art of Apple Cider brewing – and all done with such gusto, care and passion. What’s even more amazing is that not even two years since he started this journey, he’s had the courage to submit his Cider into the Australian Cider Awards and was recently awarded a Bronze in the Experimental Category. Besides having a seriously proud sister moment here, that is pretty impressive by anyone’s standards.
But here’s the kicker – when I asked him how he was going to celebrate, his response was that there was so much more to do before he can celebrate and proceeded to downplay the moment – Enter limiting beliefs and self-sabotage stage left. It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable our minds are dwelling on failure or kicking ourselves while we are down to the point of jeopardizing or derailing us from our dreams, but how quickly we walk straight past milestones along our journey chasing the destination.
As powerful as it is to have a driven, ambitious and resilient mindset, a positive mindset is limitless. By taking the time to be present, mindful and your own champion, you are creating a mental structure that recognises joy AND attracts more joy into your life. The happiest people in the world are those who take the time to celebrate all the wins on their journey, not just the destination.
Some people have fun little rituals, others celebrate by sharing their news with loved ones and some dance like no one’s watching – it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do!
My brother ended up packing himself a little picnic, went and sat in the park amongst the trees, cracked open a bottle of his Cider, lit up a cigar and while watching the sunset, created a core memory that will live with him forever. (He also headed over to our parent’s place, shared the news with the family and popped open a bottle of champagne! )
Raise your vibration and celebrate your wins – ALL of them!