This week I was thinking about the ‘personal’ side of ‘personal victories.’ Yes, as much as ‘personal’ has to do with these victories being individual, customized or specific to you, there’s also a part of them that is about something other than the victory. Yes, of course you’re accomplishing a victory or making progress on one, but it’s also about showing up for yourself, showing yourself you can do things, doing things you’re proud of, pushing through on stuff because you care, choosing to do the right thing and being true to where your heart is.
Many days we have a choice to push through or to give up. Sometimes we can put things off to another day, but other times we don’t have that opportunity and we have to decide how much something matters to us or if it’s really time sensitive. If it really matters to us or can’t be postponed we have to decide how much we’re going to push and what we’re going to give to be successful on whatever level we’re working on. Maybe it is a work-related effort, maybe it’s still success oriented or quantifiable in some other way, or maybe it has very little that can be counted or measured and instead getting it done is just about knowing you won’t be happy with yourself if you don’t make that effort.
Maybe the answer to the question is that what’s best for you is to not do anything. Maybe what you need to do is take that break or that nap or that walk, eat that cookie, snuggle your pet or kid, or stop trying to do it all on your own and get some help. There’s no shame in taking that direction if that’s what’s right for you in the situation and will help you get to the next step of your victory journey, even if it’s about gathering strength or being more prepared for what’s coming. And if pushing through is what’s best for you, then give it your best effort and put limits or boundaries in place even if it’s not something you would usually do.