My “win” today is having the courage to make myself vulnerable and actually post my first blog entry. As someone who has never tweeted, who rarely makes comments on social media, and has never posted a picture on Facebook or Instagram (although many of me exist thanks to tagging); the concept of putting my thoughts online is terrifying. While I am often outspoken amongst friends and family, I fear the permanence of posting on the internet. I fear the ability of all who read it to pass judgment, ridicule me, or misunderstand me. I wonder what others will think about what I have to say.  Is it controversial? Will I be perceived as self-indulgent, trivial or dumb? Despite this discomfort, I have decided to move forward.  I am trying to live with what Brené Brown describes in her TED Talk as “the courage to be imperfect” and encourage others to do the same.

My hope is that by sharing the small victories that I experience or witness, I will inspire others to focus on this in their own lives. I would love to help myself and others recognize that alongside all of our “epic fails” and misteps of the day, we’ve each made at least one decision to be proud of. Perhaps focusing on these “little wins” will have a domino effect. Perhaps, this shift in perspective will decrease our self-criticism, increase our self-confidence and embolden us to take risks we’d otherwise avoid; or perhaps my posts will effect no one but me. Simply thinking about writing this blog has shifted my perspective. It has put me on the lookout for positive experiences to share, heightened my awareness of my own thoughts and made me more appreciative of the kind actions of those around me. Whether it helps only me or many, I consider it a win to dare to begin this social experiment.

So let’s begin! Please let me know what little (or big) win would you like to acknowledge today?