When was the last time you celebrated yourself?
Can you remember?
If not then girl you are long overdue for a celebration!
Have you ever completed a goal, overcome a difficult obstacle or survived a hard time then celebrated your ability to rise to the occasion?
Every woman I know has achieved so much but most seldom if ever celebrate their achievements.
My pastor shared a story that resulted in me setting and achieving one of my loftiest goals ever.
He decided to turn off his distraction of television and focus on spiritual and personal growth.
My distraction was social media and Pinterest was my addiction.
His inspirational story was my wakeup call.
In January of this year I decided to read 52 books in 52 weeks.
Walking into the library each week I would whisper a brief prayer asking God to lead me to the books He knew I needed.
He didn’t disappoint.
From biographies to business, leadership to communications and spiritual to sports, books I normally would never have chosen transformed me in ways I never imagined.
Let me confess that while I enjoy reading, the thought of 52 books in 52 weeks seemed impossible and overwhelming.
But in late September this goal was achieved.
So why am I sharing this with you?
Because there was a time when the thought of doing so would have consumed me with guilt.
Yes guilt.
And I know countless other women who feel the same.
It seems southern girls are raised not to call attention to our achievements because it might be perceived as bragging or conceited, two frowned upon and forbidden traits.
Society has told us to avoid the spotlight, deflect praise and shrug off compliments.
Showering others with attention when they succeed is great and fine but celebrating ourselves when we achieve means we lack humility.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Achieving any size goal, excelling at our jobs, losing the weight or mastering a new skill is cause to celebrate our amazingness, not dismiss it as coincidence, good fortune or luck.
Ladies, it is time to celebrate!
Sadly the success of some women brings out the jealousy in others.
Instead of celebrating her achievements and being inspired to conquer our own goals, we silently seethe with envy robbing ourselves of any opportunity to create an amazing life of our own.
The jealous woman’s life will always remain stuck and stagnant.
Energy she could channel to her own gain is wasted envying others so nothing in her life ever changes.
This amazing world is big enough to hold all of our successes.
One woman’s success is not robbing another woman of hers.
When we begin celebrating others success we will experience more success of our own.
That woman who has done what you want to do? Let her inspire you.
Take her to lunch and find out how she did it, how long it took and what she learned from the experience then go out and do it yourself.
The quickest way to achieve any goal is to find someone who already has.
Why? Because success leaves clues.
The secret to your success is hidden in hers.
And when you are done CELEBRATE!
Do something that honors your achievement!
Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishment!
And allow others to celebrate with you!
Relish in the compliments, applause and accolades.
You earned it!
It is time to celebrate my friends beginning with ourselves!
Sandra Hubbard
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