Celebrating your Homestead Accomplishments

Did you began the year with a long list of homesteading projects to do, or homestead dreams that you wanted to turn into reality? I sure did:

Yes, this is a very long list of projects and infrastructure, because really, that is where our newish homestead is at right now. But beyond just being a list of things to do, or projects to make and build, this list represented the direction that I want our family to move:

• Growing food to enhance our health and self-sufficiency
• Building infrastructure to increase our connection to our friends and our enjoyment of our natural resources
• Creating tools and structures to help us cook and store food in delicious and sustainable ways

When items on the list are checked off, I admit, there is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. But, it can be too easy to look at what DIDN’T get done, and feel overwhelmed or disappointed.  We forget to recognize our accomplishments; we take for granted how far we’ve come.

That is exactly why it is so important to consciously and actively celebrate our homestead accomplishments.

What is the Best Way to Celebrate Your Homestead Accomplishments?

Here’s a technique that I like to use:

1) Think back to the beginning of the year. That list. Forget about what DIDN’T get done,  just take note of what was achieved, no matter how small.

2) If you get stuck, here’s a list of questions to use as prompts:

• What projects did you start?
• What projects did you complete?
• What skills did you learn?
• What healthy choices did you make?
• What connections did you forge in your community?
• What did you share with your community?
• What new ideas sparked excitement and creativity in your life?
• In what ways did you increase your self-sufficiency and interdependence?

3) Why were these achievements so important and meaningful for you?

4) Get specific, and write it all down!

Thinking about our accomplishments is great, but just as it is more concrete to write down a list of to-do’s, it’s also important to write down our successes.

For instance, some of my biggest accomplishments were in the garden. So I might write:

This year, I doubled my garden space, increasing the variety and abundance of food that I’m able to provide for our family. I started 99% of our garden plants from seed, saving money and ensuring quality vegetables, flowers, and herbs. I facilitated my children gardening in their own beds, helping them learn about growing healthy and delicious food.

5) Celebrate, for real!

After you’ve written your celebrations down, consider taking the time to create an event or ritual to honor your hard work. For example, I might crack open a precious quart of homemade tomato sauce and thaw a bag of homegrown vegetables and make a meal out of ingredients that I grew myself. 

Or perhaps I might send a note to friends that helped plant fruit trees and let them know what their contribution means to me. 

 

When you’re ready to move from celebrating into the fun, yet hard work of achieving your homestead goals, this post has you covered (with free printables too!).

And if you’d like some one-on-one support for your homesteading and life goals, I’d be honored to work with you – check out my Coaching packages for more information.

 

What accomplishments are YOU most proud of this year?

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