i’ll begin this blog post by starting my first small victory of the day- which is to write. although i made no promises as to where this blog would be heading and how often i would post, i have found myself here today and that is a small victory in itself. some may not be familiar with what a small victory is, and perhaps it is a different concept to every person, but i will clue you in on how i define and perceive them within my life.
let’s not get caught up in what victory actually means. well, maybe that might help. by definition, a victory is “an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in battle”, et cetera. i am aware that i am not the first to use this word, to utilize or invent the idea of “small victories”. i do believe that any victory, no matter the quantity or quality, should be recognized. of course, quality can be subjective, but if you stick with me, maybe you’ll understand my perspective of why that could be countered.
in january of this year, i started making personal posts on my Tumblr account that i titled and tagged small victories. along with the dates, i wrote lists of the things in which i felt proud of accomplishing. the spectrum of things in which i considered to be accomplishments was and remains on a very large spectrum. i don’t think i could ever see an end on either side. basically, the possibilities for improvement, success, and progress are endless.
i’ll get a little bit more specific for you now. to anyone reading this who knows me in any way, be it through real life or social media, i’ve always been one to make it quite apparent that i have dealt with mental health issues throughout my entire life. i am no longer ashamed of that, but i am also no longer too keen on shouting it out at every given chance. and yet here i sit, writing about it. have a laugh at my irony, i’m right here with you.
if we’re going to base the validity of a victory on a battle, then i can safely admit to the battle i fight as being one against myself. against my thoughts, against my anxiety, against my agoraphobia and introverted tendencies- these are my opponents. for you, they could vary slightly or dramatically. your opponents in this "battle" could be anything- laziness, lethargy, boredom, or doubt. i guess that recording my small victories, which i’ll detail next, became a coping mechanism of sorts. staying positive is not as easy as most people want to tell you it is…or is it? small victories are helping me to figure that one out.
gaging what a victory is for yourself is a personal call. i cannot speak for anyone else on whether or not mine would be the same as the next person. what is important and shared, however, is the concept. it may be an extremely simple idea i came up with on a good day of mine, but i’ve found myself coming back to it, especially lately. i am a person who fears change, unplanned anything, being somewhere i have never been, or pretty much any situation in which i am not the one in control. i am a control freak- i hope you’re catching on that me admitting that is a small victory too!
my small victories have consisted of doing the things that may seem easy for most people, but are terribly challenging for me. some of my small victories have been getting through a week without a panic attack. they have been making an impulsive (but safe) decision, like hopping in a car with friends and driving to find an abandoned building only to drive in circles. they have also been sleeping at someone else’s house, going to a social event, being a passenger on a train or plane, or even choosing not to spend my paycheck the first day i get it. i fear the unknown territory and unfamiliar feelings, so i have always avoided them. that is no way to live life, and i hope that getting back in touch with my small victories and blogging them will keep me moving forward.
for anyone, acknowledging a small step or good natured decision is always beneficial for clearing your head out. it’s kind of like a mental cleaning and organizing. it’s an easy way to say to yourself, “hey, that was really cool that i did that thing yesterday. that was unfamiliar to me but it turned out great!” and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge action, like facing a fear. where that is the root of my small victories, sometimes it can be as basic as having a smooth day at work without getting frustrated, or getting up early and making yourself a nice breakfast. i encourage anyone reading this to try making a weekly list of your own small victories. hell, try it out monthly, daily, whichever suits you. you might be surprised to realize what amazing things you’ve done or felt. and remember, a small victory is simply forgetting the boundaries of your comfort zone, even if only for a moment.