How I Define & Celebrate Success
I define success as living in alignment with what feels true to me moment by moment.
Not what sounds good. Not what looks impressive. Not what others expect from me.
Success, for me, is a feeling. It lives in the subtle shifts I sense in my body when I make a decision that honors who I am right now. It shows up in the calm after I speak my truth. The steadiness that washes over me when I complete something I once avoided. The satisfaction that lingers when I choose myself again and again, without guilt or over-explaining.
There was a time when I thought success meant achievement, recognition, and forward motion. I tied it to milestones. Deadlines. Praise. I reached those things often but they rarely stayed with me. I’d move on to the next task, the next goal, the next challenge, barely acknowledging what I had just accomplished. And honestly? It didn’t feel like success. It felt like survival.
Now I define success on my own terms. It’s no longer about checking a box. It’s about checking in with myself.
- Did I listen to my inner voice today?
- Did I follow through on something that matters to me?
- Did I choose rest when I needed it, even when my to-do list tried to shame me?
- Did I let my no be a complete sentence?
- Did I honor my creative spark when it showed up unexpectedly?
If I can answer yes to any of those, that’s success. And that deserves to be felt. Acknowledged. Celebrated.
Because here’s the thing— when we don’t pause to fully receive our success, it slips through our fingers. We rob ourselves of the integration. Of the embodiment. Of the nourishment that comes from truly landing in the moment.
And I’ve learned that I need that nourishment. That’s why I’ve created personal rituals for how I celebrate and internalize success. Some are simple. Some are sensory. All are intentional.
What I practice when I recognize a moment of success:
- I pause. I allow the moment to exist without rushing past it. Even if it’s just a few deep breaths, I let it be real.
- I speak gratitude aloud. To myself, to my body, to Spirit. I say thank you for showing up, for staying with it, for getting it done, or for making the hard choice.
- I name the win. I declare it. I did that. That was brave. That’s a big deal. Naming it gives the moment shape.
- I breathe it in. I inhale the feeling. I allow my body to feel everything. Let it settle into my chest, my shoulders, my back. Let the feeling soften me. I observe the feelings in my body.
- I write it down. A few words in my Notes app or a sentence in my journal. Something to return to. Proof of growth.
- I share it with someone I trust. Not to seek approval, but to reflect and anchor the energy. To be witnessed.
- I do something kind for myself. Sometimes I light a candle. Take a walk. Put on my favorite song. Make a cup of tea. Let my body feel safe in the joy of it.
- I let myself feel proud. I no longer minimize my wins. I celebrate them fully even if no one else is around to clap.
These are my ways of honoring the moments that matter. Because I’ve done enough pushing. Enough proving. I don’t want to just do anymore. I want to feel. I want to remember. I want to be in it.
Celebrating my own success is an act of self-trust. It’s me saying, I see you. I’m proud of you. You did something meaningful, and it matters.
And when I do that consistently, it changes everything. It softens how I show up. It strengthens how I make decisions. It makes success less about outcomes and more about presence. It allows success to live in me and not just pass through me.
So if you’re redefining success in your own life and if you’re learning to slow down, tune in, claiming what’s yours—I celebrate you.
And if you’re looking for support as you shape your own definition of success, I’m here. Through words, rituals, conversations, and intuitive guidance, I hold space for these exact moments. Moments where alignment takes root and truth rises to the surface.
How do you define success in your life? I’d love to hear your reflections. Please share in the comments.
Come visit ShaaniCreates.com or explore my services to find the tools that help you stay aligned with what matters most to you. You don’t have to chase success anymore. You can choose it. You can define it. And most of all—you can feel it.