CELEBRATE YOUR WINS

The journey to reclaiming your life in the aftermath of childhood sexual abuse can be difficult. It can be for different reasons. Because of its unpredictability, sometimes it felt like I took one step forward and two steps back. Maybe you can relate. Do you recognise those days when you turned a corner on something you thought you would never overcome? How about the days where you may feel you have not achieved anything at all? That’s why I believe it’s important to celebrate your wins.

A few years ago, I used to struggle to celebrate my wins. I was always too hard on myself. I didn’t appreciate the fact that I survived and overcame much adversity. I always thought I should do better and be better. All I needed to do was be kind to me and appreciate how far I have come. I found that hard to do.

Through therapy, building my self-esteem, journaling and spending time in self-reflection, I realised that anything I achieved deserved self-recognition. So I decided to mark anything I deemed worth celebrating. Recently my book Daughter Arise turned ten years old. Due to pandemic, I haven’t celebrated my achievement yet. I plan to in style!

Celebrating your wins is all about you. It’s not about other people. It’s about recognising those moments in your journey and life that are important to you. Because the healing journey can be testing at times, in those moments where you have overcome, achieved or had a breakthrough are worth noting.

I want to encourage you to celebrate your wins. It does not have to involve spending money. It could just be writing an entry in your journal or going to your favourite place. However, you choose to celebrate to enjoy it. Only you know the sacrifice, hard work, the overcoming of doubts, insecurities or fears that you had to face to get there. Let the celebration of your wins encourage you to continue to face your past.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXSEZeTdYjY&t=278s&ab_channel=DaughterArise