83. (PART TWO) Why Celebrating Your Accomplishments is Absolutely Vital When it Comes to Sustainable Personal Transformation
This episode is PART TWO 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.
In this part, I share my experience moving through my own healing journey with seizures and the three things that have helped me most to be patient - one of which is celebrating all the little wins along the way.
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Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome to episode 83. If you listened to the last episode, you know that this is a part two. When I was recording the last episode, I realized that there was like so much in my mind that it needed to be broken up into two parts. So if you didn't listen to the last episode, or if you need a recap, the two things were that I was nominated for this, um, coaching award, and I was just so moved. By the fact that I was really proud of myself, like really like viscerally, like in the depths of my being proud of myself. Because being proud of myself has been something that I have really struggled with for a long time. And so that episode, was for you. If you're somebody who has trouble seeing your own accomplishments and the things that you are doing in the world. The way that others see them and really like feeling it in your body. That celebration. That feeling of worthiness, that [00:02:00] feeling of accomplishment and achievement.
, And the second thing that happened that I talked about was, I'd have this really interesting conversation with someone who was going through their own journey with non-epileptic seizures or functional seizures. Um, that's something that I have been journeying with now for almost, well three years. Knowing that that's what it was though. It definitely was happening before that as well. Um, and in talking with this person, I was reflecting on. If I would have done anything differently. In my healing journey, you know, if I could go back and talk to myself, like, two or three years ago.
And what came to mind was really this idea that I would have been more patient with myself. Like way more patient with myself and my healing. And so in a way, one of the through lines here for me is this idea of like moving too fast.
So while our last episode was kind of around like this moving too fast and the way in which that can make it really difficult for us to connect in to the things that we could be really proud of ourselves for, because we're just moving onto the next thing. Um, It was really for you if that ability to connect into your own sense of achievement is something that you struggle with.
This sister episode is going to be similar, but a different angle. And really looking at this idea of moving too fast when it comes to our own healing. And what it means to celebrate like the micro wins. So [00:04:00] while in the last episode I shared a pretty big win for me. Um, a pretty big, like moment of excitement. Um, In this, I want to talk more about those, like teeny little micro wins, those little achievements. That I actually think are so key. To our sustainable transformation and healing and growth, and really our relationship with ourself.
So, let me preface this by saying that one of the most difficult lessons for me, like the one that repeats over and over and over again. And truthfully, I have not fully learned this yet. But is this idea that just because you have the ability to push yourself doesn't mean that you should.
I'm going to say that again. Just because you have the ability to push yourself Doesn't mean that you should. And so what I've been really like. Oh, gosh, just like spending so much time in reflection around. In, in many different ways. This is like one of my biggest life lessons. Um, is really this idea that often we make things in our mind urgent. And we make ourselves feel like we have to do everything right away.
One of the kind of reframes that's been so helpful for me over the last few months, um, which was gifted to me by my therapist was this idea of like really grounding into our journey with ourselves and our journey with our healing. As a marathon, not a sprint. Because I am definitely someone who tries to push through. Who tries to sprint. And when I think about my journey, moving through [00:06:00] functional seizures, which I'm still moving through. It definitely was one of me trying to push. Uh, trying to get somewhere as fast as I could. As opposed to thinking about it like a marathon. And so just like to spend a moment with this metaphor and I am not a sprinter or a marathon runner.
But just like the general concept when you're running a sprint, you're going all out for a short amount of time. I think back to, you know, doing track and field in gym class and. giving everything you can in your body. And then at the end, like gasping for breath and trying to reregulate. And if you were to try and run another sprint after just running a sprint. You probably wouldn't be as fast if you truly had given everything that you could. If we contrast that with a marathon and this was the point, um, that my therapist so beautifully made. Was this idea of like, when you're doing a marathon, everything is really intentional. And structured. And you know exactly when you are going to take your rests. You know, when you are going to give yourself fuel. You have a plan for how that's going, and there's a disciplining of how fast you are going because you know what your pace needs to look like for you to reach your goals and
sustain yourself along the way. And so it's, it's kind of cute. It's become one of this biggest decision-making factors. In our household lately is thinking about like marathon versus a sprint when it comes to different choices that we [00:08:00] have. And just a way to kind of anchor into and reground to the fact that healing is such a journey. And if we're not just thinking about the a hundred meters right in front of us, but we're thinking about. You know, the kilometers and kilometers or miles and miles.
And if we come back to this idea of like, just because you have the ability to push yourself, doesn't mean you should. Again, I'm not a marathon runner, but you know, if you're starting off a marathon, you could be trying, you could push yourself to run faster. But that would have implications. And this is something that I think I see so often, and I just feel it so deeply in my heart is people. Pushing themselves because there's still a little bit of fuel in their own tank. And then totally burning out and ending up in this cycle, which I have been in so many times. Where you're pushing yourself and then recovering and then pushing and then recovering. And it's this roller coaster of up and down. Rather than something that feels more grounded and more regulated and more safe even in your own body.
So I wanted to share today just a little bit about what I've learned when it comes to pacing is a very impatient person.
And of course there have been so many lessons, but I am thinking of three in particular today in this moment. That feel really true for me and feel really helpful.
Number one. Having a vision of where I'm going. But really focusing on going there slower. Really slowing things down. That idea of going slow and steady. [00:10:00] Instead of that all or nothing thinking. Like either I'm going all out or not at all. I talk a little bit more about this, um, in episode 68. The one on gentle momentum. It's from earlier this year. I've struggled so much with, again, the sprinting or just kind of standing still. It used to feel like if I was going to do something, the only option was to sprint. But this idea of really like moving forward in a way that is gentler, slower, intentional. Grounded in our nervous system, deeply supportive.
So that's thing. Number one.
There's movement. But it's slow. And there's a vision.
Thing number two is a structure to anchor into.
That is based on small, yet really impactful actions. And this has been so important to me. If we go back to my own journey with functional seizures.
And C-PTSD. Is this idea of like, What are the small potent actions that keep me moving forward? That I can anchor into. Especially on the days that it feels like I have totally like had a backslide. And that's sometimes not just days, sometimes that's weeks or even months, but like, how do I keep showing up? For the things that I know. Are helpful to me, even if I can't feel it in the moment. But the [00:12:00] things that I know deep in my being are supportive to me.
And. I'm going to use the word discipline, even though I know that that is, kind of a sticky word for a lot of us. If you have a different word other than discipline, be sure to let me know. But I do thinkthere is something for me around disciplining myself. To show up for these small yet potent actions, even on the days that, you know, just feel awful. Or where it feels like what's the point.
There's something about that that has been really, really powerful for me in showing a level of care and commitment to myself.
And the third thing. Which circles back to this beautiful idea of celebration.
I think in the last few years when it comes to this healing journey that I've been on specifically. One of the biggest things has been being able to celebrate the little wins along the way. Which has required. a whole lot of mindfulness in terms of doing that.
And when I was having this call is peer mentorship call with the person who is on their journey with functional seizures. And when I was reflecting back on like, what would I have done differently?
I am at a point now. Where I am celebrating the little wins along the way.
But I think it would have been such a different experience. If I had been able [00:14:00] to do that earlier.
If I had been a little bit more patient.
And really like slowing down to savour to appreciate to feel gratitude. For the little wins along the way.
Because for a lot of this journey with seizures specifically, it has been the case of like, okay, well, You know, I can do this again, or I reached this milestone. What's next. Rather than really like, really honoring the little things along the way. And one of the biggest things. That has helped with this, sometimes we can just get so caught up in our own story and our own version of reality but is tracking. It sounds so simple, but like having actual data. In terms of like the number of seizures that I'm having in terms of so simple. But, uh, at one point my doctor asked me to start tracking, just like generally how I felt every day. And so I, I have been doing that now for several years. Every day. I give myself a number. For the day before between one and 10. And it's amazing to see that there is absolutely a whole lot of up and down that'll happen in a given week or given month. But over all the numbers are on the trajectory of lifting.
And so it's taking that bigger picture. Back into that vision. But with that commitment of going slowly. And really celebrating the little wins along the way. That now it's like kind of rare. I actually don't [00:16:00] know that I've like dipped below a six. In a while. But there was a version before where I was hanging out around a three to four.
Where the idea of reaching a six, Would seem so foreign.
So I wanted to share these thoughts today.
Especially if you are someone listening. Who is also experiencing challenges around pacing. Challenges around feeling proud of yourself. Being patient with your own journey.
I would love to know if there's somewhere in your life right now.
Where you feel in your heart? That you could be slowing down moving a little bit more gently. Focusing on smaller actions. And bringing more celebration.
If it feels right for you. I'd so love to hear your answer to that question. You can find me on Instagram @meghanljohnston. You can also send me an email hello@meganjohnston.com. I love hearing from you. It is one of my very favorite things about this podcast.
I really hope that these two episodes. This one that you're listening to right now, as well as episode 82. Have inspired some reflections around how you can bring a little bit more celebration into your life. Of those big moments. As well as those really small often overlooked moments in our healing journeys.
It's one of the most impactful things in [00:18:00] my opinion, when it comes to creating sustainable transformation.
And before you go today.
One of the biggest things that you can do to support this podcast and this community is to follow, like, rate, or review this podcast. It sounds really simple. But it
honestly is one of those really small yet so potent actions. That helps the show in so many ways. I won't bore you by breaking them down, but it is just so helpful. And it's something that I deeply appreciate. And if you've already done those things, a great big, thank you. Until next time keep living With Heart and Wonder.