Note to self: Take stock. Give credit. Feel accomplished.

Sometimes I feel like I’m spinning my wheels… wondering “What did I get done today, this month, (all my life!)?” … It’s in those moments that I find it valuable to assess what was accomplished or learned. Life is going at such a pace that taking stock can remind us how much we’ve worked towards a goal or creating the life we want. Giving ourselves credit for lessons learned, work accomplished, or goals achieved is helpful in renewing our motivation to keep on, keepin’ on.

As a consequence, I’ve been recording my accomplishments on a spreadsheet since the beginning of the year. Wow. So productive – both the process and the results! I love to be able to skim over all the finished tasks and feel good about what was completed. Check off goals. Assess where I need to move forward.

I encourage you to take stock, whether you own your own business, work for someone else, or need some inspiration to move forward with a creative project. Writing a newsletter allows me to do so, and it’s been a wonderful boost to check-in with myself, at least from a professional standpoint, to assess recent successes.

Wondering where to start? Here are some cues to help:

Take stock.

• Look over last month’s calendar. Review where you were and what you did.
• Skim through a month’s worth of sent email to remember the work you sent out.
• Any major learning opportunities last month? What is still sticking with you?
• If feasible, look at all those items that you crossed off your to-do lists.
• Start a work or success journal and jot those insights down each month.

Give credit.

The act of looking back at work completed in itself allows you to pat yourself on the back. This whole exercise is a practice in celebrating yourself (whether you like it or not!)

Feel accomplished.

We forget our successes (and somehow remember the failures). Try reminding yourself of what you are actually doing with your life.