82. (PART ONE) Why Celebrating Your Accomplishments is Absolutely Vital When it Comes to Sustainable Personal Transformation
Ever felt like there are things in your life that you should be proud of but you feel totally disconnected from them - almost like they happened to someone else?
This episode is for you!
It’s PART ONE of a two part series where we are diving into the art of celebrating yourself and what it has to do with pacing, patience and creating sustainable personal transformation.
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Episode Transcript
[00:00:00]
Welcome my friend. I am so glad you are here today. And I'll tell you, I am feeling, a little bit fired up. Like there is a lot bubbling inside of me. It almost feels a little bit like, you know, when you're making popcorn and there's just things flying in all directions. It's been a really, really interesting week for me. In a lot of ways. And a lot has been surfacing. So much so that there was so much I wanted to include in this podcast episode, I'm actually breaking it up into two. I'll tell you more about that later. But for now. This part, especially the one that you are listening to right now. Is going to be for you, if you have ever felt like there are things in your life that you should be proud of, but that there's this disconnect. That it feels like those things maybe happened to someone else. Or maybe you can't even think of things that you are proud of, because [00:02:00] you're always focused on the next thing. This episode is all about celebrating ourselves. And this theme is going to weave into the next one as well. But in a slightly different way. So, let me tell you about two things that happened this week that are informing this episode and the next one. And then I've got some stories for you as usual. So the first thing is, um, this week I found out and it was just like such an emotional experience for me. This week I found out that I have been selected. As a finalist for an award that is given by my coach training academy, the Beautiful You Coaching Academy.
Every year they select six, trainees, to be finalists for the trainee of the year award, which is given to the person who is selected as the most outstanding trainee, and I'm even tearing up just talking about it right now. It just was such an important moment for me. In a lot of different ways. Um, and I'm going to, we're going to talk more about that. In terms of why. Why that moment felt so important for me. Um, Because in many ways, it wasn't just about that recognition. It was about something much, much deeper. So that's one thing that happened. The second thing that happened is that. I had a really, really interesting conversation with someone this week. So I've talked about on the podcast before, my own journey that I've been on over the last several years [00:04:00] with functional seizures or PNES, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. And, um, I had the chance this week to connect with somebody who is on uh, their own journey with functional seizures, and, um, there are now going through a program that I went through two and a half years ago. So it was a chance for peer mentorship. And it was a chance to like really, really reflect for me. On my own healing journey over the last few years. And when we were talking, one of the things that sort of came to me was this question of like, would I have done anything differently. In my own healing journey.
And, it's that question. That has been spiraling around and is going to be the focus of the next episode. So these things are gonna come together. all around these themes of like patience, pacing, celebrating and how these all weave their way, like this beautiful tapestry. Into creating a path of personal transformation that is sustainable. Like what that looks like. And why it's something that cannot be rushed and takes time. Okay. So part one today's episode. I really want to talk about. Celebration. And this feels so important to me. Because. And I mean, I think in, in many ways, this applies to everyone. But especially if you are someone who was socialized as female, There is. A lot that we are [00:06:00] taught. About keeping ourselves small, being humble, not taking up too much space. These ideas that come from patriarchy, that we are never good enough. And what this can lead to is like these really ingrained habits where we end up denying ourselves the chance to celebrate the things we do accomplish and achieve. And ultimately, I think why this feels so important is that when we deny ourselves the chance to celebrate who we are, it perpetuates feelings of disconnection within ourselves because we're denying a whole part of ourselves. It robs us of our wholeness of our ability to really embrace all of our layers. For only like operating in this kind of highly critical space of ourselves and, and not taking the time to really acknowledge and feel in our bodies, the things that we are proud of or the things that we do love about ourselves. Then we're not in a place where we are fully embracing our whole selves. So. I wanted to talk about this because this moment stuck, has just come up into my mind and it can like picture myself so clearly. I think I actually might have talked about this moment before. On the podcast. I honestly do not remember. But I am sitting at my desk. I'm 19 years old. I'm in university. And I am. Working through the course, which if you've been a longtime listener to the podcast, you might know the course I'm referring to. It's the one that, was such a pivotal, foundational [00:08:00] moment in my life. And I talk about it in the very first episode of the podcast. It was called the meaning of work in contemporary society was taught by a professor who was also a life coach, and it was my introduction to coaching.
So I was working on some of my, homework and reflection around this course and, um, um, kind of pulling together some of the different threads. And I was sitting with this question of like, what am I proud of? Like, who am I? What have I done in this life that I'm proud of? And I just remember staring out the window. At my desk.
On Water street. That's the street I lived in Peterborough. Staring out. The window and just. feeling like I was searching. My brain, and then I just couldn't come up with anything. And it was this sensation of knowing that there are things I should be proud of. But feeling like they were out of grasp. And I thought I would, I actually like pulled out. Um, what I wrote. In that moment so that I could share it with you.
Here's what I wrote.
When I try to think of what I am proud of, my mind draws a blank. I start thinking about the many things that I know I should be proud of. But these don't bring a sense of joy and achievement. I feel disconnected from these accomplishments. When I look back, I feel as though I'm watching someone else's life. When I really think about the things that I am most proud of. I think of certain moments where I was courageous steps up outside my comfort zone, or allowed myself to be fully alive and truly present. But these moments are so [00:10:00] hard to recall. It feels easier for me to think about what I'm not proud of. I'm not proud of losing my connection with myself. Not taking more time to reflect, not being fully present in all my interactions. Being too critical of myself and others, letting my perfection get in the way of my passions and of being my own obstacle to having more fun. Ironically, this in itself is one example of being too critical.
Now, this ended up being part of my final project, this portfolio that I put together and the part that comes right before. I think is also quite telling.
I wrote, I was an overachiever. Someone who can not be satisfied with my accomplishments. I was always looking to the future. I've achieved a lot during my 19 years of living I've excelled at most things. I put my mind to. Because of a fierce determination to do my best. It had never really occurred to me that perhaps doing my best was not about marks or the number of dollars I fundraised, but about the quality of my relationship with myself and with others. I feel like I've run so fast through the last six years of my life that I don't even remember what I passed along the way. And my body is now exhausted. Worst of all in order to keep a momentum going and to push through these things. I had to ignore my own needs and true desires. I stopped listening to what my mind, body and soul were telling me. I lost connection with myself.
I wanted to. Share this little snapshot with you, and that is. Now from like 14 years ago. My 19 year old self. And I remember despite, you [00:12:00] know, moving through this, this really powerful course experience despite. Having this intention of like really cultivating more celebration in my life. It took a while. It was not just like a light switch that I could turn on.
I think a lot of those patterns of still disconnecting from myself moving too fast. Like they were things that took years and that in some ways I'm still struggling with. Though maybe the volume has been turned a little bit down.
I've been reflecting on this moment. My 19 year old self feeling. So disconnected.
Because. I was answering this question. Recently for someone. But what I'm most proud of in my life.
And what was so fascinating is that when I was asked this question recently, what am I most proud of in my life? I knew the answer right away. I didn't even have to blink. I wasn't searching. All the corners of my mind grasping and trying to feel something inside of me. I knew right away. And what I knew was that. I am so deeply. Like so viscerally in every cell of my being proud of myself for finally listening to my heart. The view, listen to past podcast episodes. You know that when I was 19, I knew in the depths of my being that I wanted to pursue.
Life coaching. But that that was a vision. That I kind of swept to the side for 13 years. It was only last [00:14:00] year in 2022 that I pursued life coach training and I am so proud of myself. For that decision. And for how I showed up for the entire length of the course. With so much presence. Commitment. To myself, to this life, to my vision. To others.
And a whole lot of courage.
For me. When I think about this decision that I made, that was 13 years in the making.
Letting myself actually dive in. Just like is such. An example, and I feel it in my body.
Of how much I care. About my own fulfillment.
Of living a life that is aligned with my heart.
Of my own transformation and growth.
And so it meant. So much. To me. To be acknowledged as a finalist for the trainee of the year.
In many ways, because it was a chance. To reflect and to really celebrate and to feel in my body.
What I have achieved. And it meant so much being able. To see the differences. Between myself now at this age of 33. And myself as a 19 year old.
Whereas a 33 year old, I am letting myself feel it in my body. And every corner of my [00:16:00] heart. And my bones. And when I was younger. Not just 19, but even in my twenties, There was such a disconnect from myself. And there was a fear of letting myself. Really feel my own power.
I wanted to share this today for two reasons. The first is. We don't talk about. What we're proud of enough. And I really want to model that. And live. That out loud, because I want to hear it more. I want to see more people letting themselves really feel a connection to the things that they are doing in this world.
Not just moving on to the next thing. Sprinting past it.
And the second is because. Honestly in the work that I do. When I am supporting coaching clients, one of the biggest changes that I noticed over time.
And it's amazing. It's so incredible to watch the unfolding. But it is their ability.
To hold space. To be proud of themselves. To celebrate the little and the big things. And it's something we weave into every session. Because celebrating ourselves. And our accomplishments, like it's like a muscle, it's not something that we just become good at right away. Something that we practice. But it's so cool to see in short amounts of time, how those that I've worked with have taken this on. Because it feels good. It feels good to celebrate [00:18:00] ourselves.
And when I say celebrate ourselves, I don't just mean like going out for a dinner.
Or accomplishing something and buying yourself something in recognition, like sure, those are starting points, absolutely. But what I mean is actually your capacity to feel a sense of pride and celebration in your body. To let yourself feel good. Almost to like bask in your own light. To really feel it. Like there's a difference there. And my greatest wish for you is if you do not have someone in your life who can hold space, where you can really let yourself be proud of yourself. Like truly and fully, it doesn't have to be a coach. It can be a friend, a teacher, a mentor.
Maybe you make this a priority.
Finding somewhere in. Where you can practice. Being safe as you let yourself really feel. Your own worthiness, your own light. Your own accomplishments. Because you are deserving of all that and more. And it's amazing. When it comes.
To the idea of pacing. And patience and sustainable healing. It's amazing. What celebration. What acknowledging the little wins and the micro steps. It's amazing what that can do. In terms of. The sustainability. Of our own journey. And I honestly, I honestly think it's critical. That we are able to see our own light.
In order [00:20:00] to avoid creating more burnout or suffering or depletion on our own paths. To heal or transform.
And this is what we are going to talk about in the next episode.
As always. I would love to know for you. What thoughts or reflections, what questions are bubbling up?
Did this episode spark anything?
Come share it with me. You can send me a DM on Instagram @meghanljohnston. Or send me an email. hello@meganjohnston.com. Part two of this is coming your way next week. You won't have to wait long. And I can't wait to share it with you. Until next time, keep living With Heart and Wonder.