Entering the month of December, and for the last two weeks on Spoken Curls, a lot of the focus has been on looking ahead into 2023 and what we’re aiming to achieve.

Within Out of the Shadows, we addressed some of the beliefs and expectations we’ve placed on ourselves based on external sources. Within “Where Do You Start?,” we eliminated the idea of needing to have a full plan to start on our goals, and focused on just needing a reason to get started. 

In today’s blog, I wanted to address something that is very typical when working towards a goal, but something that can end up short changing the work and progress you’ve put in: unrealistic expectations. 

There is always this collective motivation around the world as we approach the new year. We are all hopeful and optimistic for the new year to come. We see it as an opportunity to put the past mistakes behind us and start anew. This is especially evident when you are surrounded by people in your inner circle who are equally as motivated. I’ve noticed a lot of friends who will create vision boards together for the new year, or set a common goal and a plan to work towards it. It truly is a beautiful thing. 

Let’s take a look at what the usual ebb and flow is like. January 1st comes around and you get to work. A few weeks go by and while you’re still working towards your goal, the motivation has dwindled down. You may not be seeing progress as quickly as you would have hoped and little by little, the goal is forgotten. 

It’s amazing to shoot for those big goals in your life, but when you set unrealistic expectations for yourself, it becomes difficult to allow yourself to celebrate small wins. 

One of the biggest small wins is consistency. Slow and steady progress is something to be celebrated, no matter what the goal is. You may look at a big leap and think, “Wow! I’m so much closer than I was when I was making small strides.” However, this often leads to burnout quickly. 

The small wins are the most important to celebrate, because you are supporting the main factor in the goal which is you. While you may have family and friends surrounding and supporting you as you work towards your goal, YOU are the only constant. You are the one that goes through the ebbs and flows of the journey. And despite all the challenges that come your way, you still keep going. Isn’t that something to be celebrated? 

Falling into the trap of thinking our progress isn’t “big enough” or “important enough” to celebrate will only deter us from celebrating when we actually complete the goal. 

No matter how big or small your goals might be for 2023, remember that while you’re working hard, celebrating your small wins along the way is important. It’s all a part of the process.