“Stop and smell the roses” is advice I give myself. I do this not because of an abundance of blossoms surrounding an upcoming holiday but because it is too easy to rush from one challenge or milestone or transition in life to the next without “stopping to smell the sweetness of accomplishments.”
If you stop and smell the roses, you take time to appreciate your surroundings, process your emotions, and catalogue your accomplishments. You may even notice that you are in a transition period that is so small, simple, easy, or life-enhancing that you would have missed it had you not paused to reflect. (Most of us don’t have a problem recognizing transitions in our life and work that are huge, complicated, hard, or life-altering.)
When you stop to smell the roses, you are giving yourself time to reflect on
• Accomplishments
• Successes
• Lessons learned
• Hopes and dreams for the future
• What pleases you
• What brings you joy
• Choices made (why did you smell that particular rose?)
• How you can be thankful in the moment
“Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made.
If you want a different result, make a different choice.”
Idle Hearts
This period of reflection, when you stop and smell the roses, is also an opportunity to celebrate your successes and learn from your current circumstances. Instead of focusing on failures and disappointments, learn from everything in your life. Reflection builds confidence and confidence leads to better choices. Want to know more? Read “How to use reflections to make your year successful.”
I didn’t always practice what I am telling you now. Prior to starting my private practice 32 years ago, I had spent 4 years taking numerous additional graduate courses, months studying, and completed a two-year supervised practicum culminating in 5 hours of test taking and an oral exam. When I got the letter saying I had met all the requirements to begin my private practice in Virginia, I was relieved, anxious, excited, and caught up in preparing to start my private practice. My husband, Tom, kept saying, “Dee, can’t you just stop and enjoy what you’ve accomplished? You spent all this time preparing and you’re not even taking time to acknowledge this milestone in your career.” He was right. I needed to stop and smell the roses, to reflect on lessons learned, and to celebrate that important milestone in my life.
Contact me. I can help strengthen this confidence-building skill in your own life.