The Small Steps Are Important Too

Life is full, isn’t it??

Days are blending into weeks and weeks into months.

I was asked today (twice) to share my celebrations and accomplishments of the week.

Uh, hello?? Why couldn’t I think of a single one?

I mean, it’s not like I’ve been sitting around doing nothing. On top of working thirty-seven hours at my job this week, I wrote every day, I attended my weekly Bible study and even finished my lesson early. I exercised, and planned meals ahead. I was out three evenings with friends and family. I had quality time with my husband, and children. And yet, I couldn’t think of one thing I accomplished to celebrate?

I lived 168 hours this week, and I couldn’t come up with one thing?? Seriously??

There had to be something I did that I could celebrate. Anything.

And as I racked my brain, the all-too familiar feelings of failure crept in, clouding my thoughts to the point of contemplating I accomplished nothing and had nothing to celebrate. Nothing.

Why do we get caught in the trap of thinking if we didn’t land the big proposal, if we fell short of our goal, if we didn’t accomplish something off-the-charts-monumental, that we did nothing??

Or why do we cast aside as unimportant the forward-moving, tiny steps, the almost insignificant changes, the humble beginnings of progress? 

Sure, the big accomplishments are amazing. They deserve recognition and celebration. But what about the days and weeks when the big accomplishments aren’t achieved?

What if we didn’t land the big proposal? Submitting it is progress, correct??

What if we fell short of our goal? We got farther than if we wouldn’t have set the goal in the first place, right?? 

Isn’t one step forward progress? Isn’t beginning something considered advancement? Isn’t making a right choice a big deal? I celebrate these with my children when they make such growth, why couldn’t I celebrate them in my life?

Not for pride, but for encouragement.

A change in thinking was in order.

Could it be a change in thinking for you is in order, too? 

What seemingly small things did you do this week that were actually big things? Maybe they weren’t to anyone else, but they were to you. What tiny, positive steps did you take? What new thoughts did you have? Looking with this perspective, what can you celebrate this week?

I looked again and saw many things I could celebrate.

–I posted on my blog five days and wrote every day.

–I learned and applied a few important truths in God’s Word in this week’s Bible study.

–I sat and listened to my son. Really listened, without being distracted.

–I kept myself from feeling overwhelmed as I put my priorities in the right order.

–I blessed my family with fresh, out-of-the-oven brownies last evening.

There. None of that is anything to “write home about,” but it’s all important in my book, and it’s all a step forward. (Okay, maybe the brownies aren’t progress, but they sure were delicious!)

I’d love to celebrate with you today.

Remember… the small steps are important too.

Blessings!

Julie