Small victories
Hit and Miss #15
Good morning.
Spend enough time around me, and you’ll probably hear me talk about small victories. (You may also discover my love for the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ emoticon.)
A small victory is—well, it depends, really. Some days it’s a small victory to get out of bed in the morning and to start your day. On others, it’s getting half an hour of work done despite the overwhelming weight of whatever weighs on you. These achievements aren’t particularly momentous, but they matter in the moment and that’s important.
I think we ought to notice these victories, to acknowledge them openly. I think of this in a similar fashion to Vonnegut’s advice that we notice and remark on happy moments by saying, “If this isn’t nice, what is?” Whenever I encounter something that makes me feel proud or accomplished, even just a tiny bit, I smile, shake my head, shrug, and say, “Small victories, small victories.”
Three links to read this week:
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg provides some advice for life. (I especially like her bit on work/life balance.)
- Evan Solomon asks why we rarely publicly express our affection. (I’ve been reflecting often on this one.)
- Michael Bierut celebrates the life of the most formidable Lella Vignelli. (Good versus successful, the shoe box, the couch—Lella is an inspiration. See also this touching tribute from Massimo, her partner in crime for over half a century.)
That’s it for me. I hope to see many of you once I’m back in Waterloo this holiday season. Let’s schedule coffee or a walk. If you’re in Ottawa or elsewhere, let’s schedule something for the New Year. You’re all wonderful people—I’m fortunate and grateful to have you in my life.
Have an excellent week.
Sent on December 17th, 2017.