Small Victories: Part 1

We know that all people need a sense of purpose.

This is especially true if someone is dealing with a mental health issue such as depression.

Accomplishments are a pathway.

Each time we accomplish something, and I mean an accomplishment that feels real and authentic to the individual, we achieve a small victory. This may or may not bring happiness, but happiness isn’t the goal.

Think of happiness as a desirable side effect.

The goal is getting to a place of baseline wellbeing.

There’s a brief sense of hopefulness when we complete a small victory. We can build on that.

Beyond a general sense of purpose, we all want to feel like what we do has value.

Deep down, we want to provide value for others.

Going deeper, we learn that while we want to tell ourselves our rationale is altruism, the truth is that all acts we do are in some way self-serving. And that’s ok. It’s simply human nature. What’s good for the community is good for us.

We can’t deny how we’re built. Or, we can… but it’s not going to help us achieve our goals. Better to see ourselves and our choices for what they really are. Know thyself, right? And, to thine own self be true.

It’s easy to forget generation after generation has had the same existential problems and concerns. And yet, we don’t approach these issues in the same way. We’ve changed enough that new methods are required.