Wholehearted acknowledgment of our successes can support our sense of wellbeing, and many of us find it easier to honor someone else’s success than our own. This worksheet invites you to practice acknowledging success, whether big or small, in three ways: honoring the past, savoring the present, and embracing the future. Many of us are our own worst critic, so reflecting on a victory, however tiny or distant, may support greater self-acceptance over time.
A note from Sean
I like to keep a top ten list of moments of connection, insight, stillness, and generosity, and to ask whether I can refresh it each year with something new. It reminds us of our inner goodness. It helps us appreciate ourselves in a wholesome way.
Try this today. Take the first exercise below. Call to mind a time you felt proud. Set a timer for three minutes and let it play: how it unfolded, what it meant to you and to others, what you appreciate about yourself. Notice where the pride sits in your body. Maybe the chest, the shoulders, the face.
Keep going: Noticing What Brings You Joy and Self Compassion Pause Worksheet.
This suits anyone who finds it easier to honor other people than themselves. If a harsh inner voice answers back, or the memory turns painful, go gently. Stop when you need to.
The three exercises in the PDF run like this:
- Honoring the past: call to mind a time you felt proud, then spend three minutes recalling how it unfolded, what its impact was on you and others, and what you appreciate about yourself.
- Savoring the present: find a quiet place to sit for ten minutes or so and note what is going well right now, from the flow of the breath to the comforts around you and the virtues you sense in yourself.
- Embracing the future: imagine a future success you would love to experience and spend about five minutes visualizing it, then bring your attention back to the breath to ground yourself in this moment.
The worksheet closes with a short reflection on what felt good and how you might turn your favorite parts into a routine practice.
