Your dream chasing deserves a dance party

Not to brag, but I am an accomplished celebrator. Here is me dancing around like a lunatic when I signed my book deal (prepare for some wild arm flailing). Here is a pic of the mug I had made when I got an audio book deal. And here’s a pic of me all ready to celebrate my 2025 goals as soon as they happen. 

While it may seem frivolous or silly, celebrating your successes is an important part of the journey. Here’s why: 

• Every achievement, no matter how small, is progress. You are doing it! Maybe you haven’t done the whole thing yet, but you are a step closer than you were before and that should be celebrated. 

• Dream chasing is hard and involves a good amount of failure. If you’re not celebrating your successes as you go, it’s way too easy to sink into a pit of despair. 

• You know when you were a child and easily motivated by candy? Some of us never outgrew that. I set up an obscene amount of rewards for myself ranging from a chocolate treat for finishing a chapter to a pedicure for finishing a whole novel. It keeps me excited to move forward, and forward motion is a good thing. 

• It makes it fun for the people around you. Some dreams are solitary, but celebrating achievements helps the people you love feel included. My kiddos were not with me each morning as I woke up before the sun to write. But when my novel got a publishing contract we celebrated together with a big gelato party. 

While you’re celebrating your hard-won milestones, make sure to help other people celebrate theirs. There’s no need for competition in this dream chasing business. Lets celebrate the success of everyone who’s hustling for their dream.