How to Acknowledge Your Success
As we move into the month of December, now is a great time to take a moment to pause and reflect on the year that was and acknowledge your success. It’s something we can easily skip over in the busyness that often surrounds this time of year, but I encourage you to carve out some space for yourself to reflect on what went well, what you achieved, what you want to celebrate and what you want to release before you begin 2023. This is about acknowledging where you’ve been, taking the best of what you’ve learned and letting go of what no longer serves you.
It’s also a helpful exercise because in taking the time to reflect and journal about your responses, you can begin to override your inbuilt negativity bias and recency bias, giving you a more balanced perspective of your year. Negativity bias is the way your brain is hardwired to latch onto negative information much more than positive information. Whilst this was necessary for our survival as a species because it allowed us to scan the world for negativity and be hyper aware of any danger or threats to our life, it’s not so helpful in modern times when it means we’re overly focused on negative feedback, criticism, mistakes and all of the things we didn’t get around to doing. When you add recency bias to that mix, which has us remembering the past month or two much better than the year as a whole, it can mean that we lose sight of everything we’ve achieved and all of the wins we’ve had along the way.
So put aside some time for yourself, take out a pen and paper, and reflect on the following questions:
- Write down as many professional accomplishments and achievements you can think of, large and small, that made 2022 the year it was. Remember to go all the way back to January and think about each month.
- Write down as many personal accomplishments and achievements you can think of, large and small, that made 2022 the year it was.
- How will you acknowledge and celebrate all that you’ve achieved?
- What were the 3 best things that happened? Next to each, write why it was so great.
- What did you learn about yourself in 2022?
- What do you need to let go of from 2022 that no longer serves you?
- Describe 2022 in 4 words.
- Write down any other reflections you have about 2022 that you want to get on paper, acknowledge and release.
It’s so important to give yourself the gift of acknowledging and celebrating what went well for you this year and all of the things (big and small) that you achieved. And it doesn’t just have to be something you do at the end of the year. We need to get better at celebrating the little wins along the way, before rushing ahead to the next thing on our list.
One of the exercises that we take women through in Module 3 of the Women Rising program is an inventory and celebration of where they’re at in their career - the skills they’ve gained and what they’ve achieved over the past 5 years. Over and over again we hear women say how powerful it is for them to actually write it down and recognise all that they’ve achieved, because it’s always more than they thought and it gives them the confidence to see just how far they’ve come.
By Megan Dalla-Camina, Women Rising Founder & CEO
+ Why is it important to acknowledge your success?
Acknowledging your success helps you shift focus from what’s missing to what’s meaningful. In our fast-paced world, many women move from one goal to the next without celebrating how far they’ve come. Taking time to reflect honours your growth, strengthens your confidence, and creates the energy and perspective you need for your next chapter.
+ What stops women from recognising their accomplishments?
Many women struggle to celebrate success because of ingrained cultural conditioning and cognitive biases like negativity bias and recency bias. Our brains naturally focus on what went wrong or what’s unfinished, while forgetting all that’s been achieved. By consciously journaling and reflecting, you retrain your mind to see the full picture, the wins, lessons, and progress that truly define your year.
+ How can reflection help you build confidence and clarity?
Reflection helps you connect the dots between what you’ve learned, who you’ve become, and what’s next. When you pause to look back, you gain perspective on your strengths, patterns, and priorities. It reminds you that confidence isn’t about perfection, it’s about acknowledging your evolution. The more you honour your progress, the more empowered you feel to lead yourself forward.
+ What are some practical ways to celebrate your achievements?
Start by writing a list of your professional and personal accomplishments — large and small. Reflect on what made them meaningful, what you learned, and how you’ve grown. Celebrate in a way that feels right for you: a quiet moment of gratitude, sharing your wins with someone you trust, or marking them in a journal. Celebration is a form of self-respect and renewal.
+ How can you make acknowledging success a regular practice?
Don’t wait until year’s end to celebrate yourself. Build a habit of reflection by keeping a “wins journal” or setting aside time weekly to note what went well. This practice rewires your brain toward positivity and progress. When you learn to recognise your efforts along the way, you cultivate motivation, joy, and sustainable confidence throughout the year.
