Here’s your homework…
Next time you’re at your local gift shop or office supply store, pick up a little notebook (and a super awesome pen).
Begin paying very close attention to your physical and emotional reactions during your workday or any time you’re doing something for your career.
Rethink the phrase, “Go big or go home.”
Reflect on the phrase, “Success is a series of small victories.”
Now, jot down daily or weekly (all work-related):
- What makes you smile big
- When you impress the hell out of yourself and when someone impresses the hell out of you
- What makes you feel deep gratitude
- When you say the words “thank you”
- To whom you say the words “thank you”
- When your heart soars
- When you meet someone with whom you can be friends/allies
- When you make a new reader
- When you’re inspired
- What gives you unbridled energy
- When you’ve mastered something however big, small or outright silly that you’ve feared
- When you did something out of your comfort zone, big or small
- When you gave a resounding “yes” to someone or something
So why should we do this?
Because there is no need to risk everything.
Because you can build slowly, intentionally.
Because what sparks, excites, and invigorates you matters, a lot.
Because being on top is terrific but knowing who you are and what you have is something.
My friend and longest client Sharon Rowe, author of The Magic of Tiny Business, helped me to accept much of this. She doesn’t know it, but she’s one of my greatest mentors. In reading her book I came to conclusions about my business and in turn my successes and failures, and how I evolve from them.
I would say small victories have gotten me through my adult years. You see, I spent the last year of my 20s and early 30s processing my mother’s suicide all the while launching Ann-Marie Nieves Communications which would become Get Red PR. At the same time, I had just moved to upstate New York, so my boyfriend–who would become my husband–could complete his MBA. Four hours away from my base of friends and family. Not a lot of new business in my cold and rural albeit beautiful environment. I had a hard time meeting new people with this dark shadow surrounding me.
But I had my aspirations.
So I spent a lot of time in my little office virtually pounding the pavement. I dug into social media, something completely new at the time. I connected with fellow PR people online that I learned so much from—Keith Emmer of Startegix and Ivy Cohen of Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications.
And I made friends—Emily and Rick—and they made me smile super big.
That rural environment? Long walks in crisp, fresh air with my pugs gave me energy; they fed my natural creativity.
Playing on MySpace (remember it?) blossomed into meeting incredible new writers. Incredible new writers led to launching incredible new books, which led to growing brands.
The boyfriend getting his MBA? Colleges had first access to Facebook…eventually I would add social media services as part of my business offerings.
It will be 14 years since my mother’s death this October. When I told her I was quitting my job to go out on my own, she gave me her blessing.
Even though I have heard “no” each day since I started my career in public relations more than 20 years ago…even though rejection is regular and competition is fierce…even though tremendous loss irrevocably changed my life in an instant, I can say still say with all certainty that I am blessed.
You may or may not have your notebook purchased and ready to use yet, but let’s share answers to one of our most important questions: What makes you feel deep gratitude (as relates to your work-world)? The floor is yours.
About Ann Marie Nieves
Ann-Marie Nieves is the founder of Get Red PR, and an award-winning communicator with experience across a broad range of industries in both the business-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors. She has experience within all communications platforms including public relations, advertising, marketing, copywriting, website development, community relations, and social media.
Deep gratitude, eh? Well, I’ve had a tendency of late to repeatedly paint myself as a sort of lone soldier, lost behind enemy lines, all but defeated, all but destined to submit to some form of concession/surrender.
But two wonderful people–my beautiful wife and a dear, wise friend–continue to pull me back, to remind me that it’s not a war but a journey, and that I’m far from defeated, that there’s nothing and no one to surrender to. Most importantly, these two stubbornly refuse to allow me to delude myself that I’m alone.
Yep, I feel deep gratitude. Thanks for prompting me to examine it, Ann Marie. Sorry for the loss of your mother. Always hold her love in your heart. That blessing was a tangible piece of it.
Thank you so much, Vaughn. Your wife and your wise friend sound like incredible human beings. They are right–it’s a journey.
Though I don’t have a notebook (yet), I do have three small pieces of deep gratitude to report this week: 1. A new subscriber on my blog. 2. I finished the “final” round of edits before submitting MS to publisher. 3. I was so grateful to join the list of contributors here on WU, I wrote a blog post about it! (And when my husband read my guest post, he said “what great comments!”)
1. Awesome!
2. That’s major. Congrats!!
3. Keep contributing. Keep writing for more outlets!!!
Great stuff, Carol.
Ann Marie, what an inspiring and uplifting post! I have some experience with the devastation of suicide and its long long shadow, but you have built yourself a passageway into the sunshine, which is a powerful form of healing in itself. As for gratitude for things relating to my work world, I’d have to say that I’m most grateful for my love of stories and words and language, and for the desire and willingness to write. I’m also grateful to all you other amazing people who share this love.
Thank you, Susan. Suicide does cast a very long shadow. We need to tell our stories. To share them in hopes that they help save more lives. It’s taken me a very long time to do this.
What beautiful things–stories, words, language, writing, and the incredible people we share these things with.
Deeply grateful for a new med which has allowed me more use of my brain during my now-abundant writing time. It is such a pleasure to have more brain-on time in which to write. I’m not quite used to it yet, but so many things have been waiting for the culmination of this and a cross-country move to where we don’t have to worry about a house and yard.
It has taken more than a year – and I find the writing is exactly where it was before. Kind of reassuring, that.
Alicia, I’m so happy to hear it. It must feel so good. Keep doing what you’re doing. Best of luck.
Beautiful post. And yes I write down things I’m grateful for. Maybe I don’t do it enough. I’m grateful for eyesight and reading, for a computer that speeds my ideas to the page, for every day of some progress toward honoring the individual lives of others and for my rock-hard belief that justice and goodness will prevail.
Thank you, Beth.
I’m with you–justice and goodness will prevail.
After my mother’s stroke last year, I have been especially grateful for my own functioning (if aging) mind and body, for the blessing of waking each morning, the miracle of hand-eye coordination, the joy of hauling in a fresh harvest from the garden.
Christine, I’m very sorry about your mother. I wish her, you and yours all the best. You’ve given me so much to really think about. Thank you.
What a lovely post. I’m all about embracing the small victories, gratitude, my first emotion. Today I’m thankful for the lovely meal my husband and I are preparing, the smell of fresh herbs from the garden, this writing life (and part of it is reading WU posts and connecting with likeminded folks), and my trusty fountain pen.
Thank you, Vijaya.
I so love everything you wrote! Be well!
Oh, Annie, this came at the right moment. Today, I spent two hours FaceTiming with my cousin who lives in Miami. We caught up with family news, shared dog stories, and we talked books.
Until recently I didn’t realize how much I missed my family and the deep, deep desire to reconnect with my Spanish heritage and speak my native tongue.
It’s been a tough few years, but I am so grateful to have had opportunities that many people can only dream of experiencing. My life, personally and professionally–both the great and not-so-great–has been extremely rich. No complaints at all. Just grateful to have experienced it and keep learning from it.
Love you, Rebeca. I am very grateful for the long friendship we’ve had. You’re a good woman.
At this moment I am grateful for a new baby, Noah, who came into our lives. He is 3 months old and makes me laugh like no one else can.
Welcome, Baby Noah! There is nothing like the smell of a baby and delicious baby feet…I wish Baby Noah– a happy and healthy life.