Do you celebrate your accomplishments?

Do you celebrate your accomplishments? Do you recognize your amazingness?

Honestly, I can’t say that I am particularly good at it. I have historically been more of an assume-I’ll-fail-and-hopefully-be-pleasantly-surprised-when-I-don’t kind of person. Today I had an epiphany. Today I realized that when I see myself through this filter and I inevitably don’t fail; even accomplish something remarkable, I set myself up to feel mostly relief. Then, I put my head back down and move on to the next task. Well, I don’t want relief to live where joy, pride, acknowledgment, and accomplishment rightfully belong anymore. 

Today, Nicole and I were working to get our space set up for visitors and we laughed, we talked, and we danced. We were taking turns putting songs on that we love. Both of us typically enjoy songs for their music, not so much their lyrics…and I asked Nicole to put on ‘KD and Lunch Meat’ by Boy Golden. I love it, I love the melody, the beat, I can’t stop myself from moving when I hear it – and until today I hadn’t listened to the lyrics. I finally did. Do you know what this song is about?!!! It’s about a new perspective, a new lease on life. It’s about finding joy and value in the simple things in life, it’s about getting your priorities straight, having fun and doing it with someone that means a lot to you (or at least that’s my interpretation). It has this great line “don’t it make you wanna do something for you”. Are you kidding me? Well yes, yes it does, thank you very much. 

All this to say that Nicole and I made a decision ten or so months ago to choose differently, to turn towards our values and to build something together. This weekend, launching this business, the website, the studio, all of it is a BIG DEAL. So, I am writing this down, I am putting it on ‘paper’ to acknowledge that we have done something big. We built a business in less than a year, in the midst of a pandemic, in the aftermath of an indescribable loss for our family. Nicole Heinz, you are incredible. I, Monique Miller, am incredible. We did this; we built this. Today, I do feel some relief – let’s be honest, launching a business takes a lot of work. AND I am also full of gratitude, of possibility, and of love for my family, my friends and myself. 

Nicole shared with me today as we talked, that it isn’t the fanfare or acts of celebration that are a priority for her; it’s about personally acknowledging and owning the knowledge and skills learned through the work that led to the accomplishment. It’s knowing that you have expanded and grown. You are now more than you were before. 

So, how am I going to celebrate? I am going to put “KD and Lunch Meat” on repeat, full blast, run a scalding hot bath and stare off into space for a minimum of 15 minutes and think about how much I have expanded in this process. It’s the simple things, right?! 

If any of this resonates with you, we hope you start taking small steps (or giant leaps) towards recognizing your worth and acknowledging your growth. Don’t let it slip by in a fog of relief. 

Monique & Nicole

Thank you to Boy Golden for music and lyrics, and American Songwriter for the interview that deepened my understanding of those lyrics.

www.boygolden.ca

www.americansongwriter.com/daily-discovery-boy-golden-kd-and-lunch-meat/