How often do you make time to celebrate your accomplishments? If you're like most people, the answer is probably almost never and you probably leave celebrating or making up for "when you have time" or when you take a vacation.

Not celebrating or compensating ourselves for the effort made is very normal and its cause refers to limiting ways of thinking. Here are some reasons why we do not celebrate:

• You feel that you can't pause, but rather, you must go immediately to try to accomplish the next task.
• You have set the bar so high that it prevents you from celebrating small steps or achievements.
• Your way of thinking tells you that celebrating a success would be synonymous with boasting and arrogance and modesty must always come first.
• You think only big things are worth celebrating.

The truth is, celebrating and recognizing yourself for your achievements has many benefits and ways to do it. Here are a few for you to try and savor those benefits in your life:

1. Recognizing your accomplishments is like a database that you can constantly go to. What made you achieve it? What were those skills and experiences that you put in place to achieve it? What did you learn? Putting all those pieces together can be of great value in your next challenges.
2. Celebrating inspires those around you. Just as taking on a challenge can inspire others, so can sharing the results, so don't be afraid to share with the world that you are celebrating.
3. Celebrate provides recognition to those who were with you along the way. Often our success is tied to the work we have done with others, whether it was something they collaborated with us on or whether someone encouraged us from the beginning. Celebrating victory shows those around us that we value and appreciate their help.
4. The effect of celebrating has several positive impacts on our brain that, in turn, lead to positive changes. This is according to an article in Psychology Today. Oxytocin and endorphin levels are elevated when celebrating which facilitates experimentation and risk taking, which can result in greater success or learning. Serotonin is also elevated, resulting in increased focus, innovation and motivation. The release of dopamine during celebrations can prepare you for higher levels of concentration and allow you to filter out or ignore distracting information. All of these chemical reactions in our brain generate positive results and even more success and victories.
5. "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey. To me, this quote speaks to the power of a positive mindset. Celebrating your victories is one way to cultivate a positive mindset. It's almost like when someone tells you not to think about purple elephants, your mind can't help but think and focus on those purple elephants. A positive mindset begets a positive mindset. Finding things to celebrate encourages our brain to find more things to celebrate.

So, what would you most like to celebrate in your life?