We often think of celebrations as being reserved for significant events like graduations and major awards. It’s easy to move from one accomplishment to the next task without taking time to reflect on our successes. We can get into a cycle of moving from one task to the next without appreciating our growth. This is likely true for your medical student, too. However, did you know that there is an excellent benefit to celebrating all of our successes? Here are a few of the benefits:
- Celebration can increase your confidence
- Celebration can aid you with sustaining momentum
- Celebration can enhance your overall well-being
Celebrating your accomplishments both big and small doesn't have to be extravagant or time-consuming. It can be as simple as taking a moment to acknowledge and appreciate your progress, treating yourself to something simple, or sharing your achievements with others. The key is to recognize and value the steps taken toward your goals. I encourage you to both celebrate your accomplishments and aid your medical student in doing the same. This simple practice will be a supportive tool for your journey as a family through medical school and beyond.
Here are a few questions to help you open the discussion with your student.
- What did you accomplish (great or small) today, this week, or this month? And, how did you do it?
- How does it feel?
- Do you face any challenges, and how did you overcome them?
- What did you learn from this experience?
- What was the most enjoyable part of the process?
- What are you most proud of regarding this achievement?
- How can we celebrate this accomplishment together?
- How can we acknowledge the effort and dedication you put into this accomplishment?
Remember to be genuinely interested in their responses and offer sincere congratulations. Celebrating minor accomplishments can have a significant positive impact on someone's motivation and self-esteem. It's a wonderful way to foster a supportive and encouraging environment for personal growth and development.
To see a list of well-being programs and resources available to medical students visit well-being.biomed.brown.edu.