Once you’ve successfully procured your dream job, it’s easy to get caught up in the 9-to-5 hustle instead of appreciating it. If you’ve been letting work get you down lately, it’s important to celebrate what you do right—whether it’s via a quick trip to the corner pastry shop with your Work BFF, or even just texting the happy news to a friend. Rejoice in knowing that it’s the little things that keep you going and remind yourself that these small victories are totally acceptable to celebrate.
1. Getting your own intern.
Picking out an intern, or even being assigned one you can mentor, means that you’re an official career woman (or at least it feels that way). Having someone you can help guide and teach shows just how far you’ve come and how much knowledge you have to pass down. When I received my first gaggle of interns at work, it was such an exciting opportunity to teach them what it had taken me months to learn on my own. It’s rewarding to give someone the internship experience you wish you had.
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2. A congratulatory email from someone at work.
It’s easy to dismiss an awesome “Good job!” email with a quick “Thanks!” or “Of course!” Next time, take a minute to really let it sink in—someone thinks your hard work is on point. When you’re having a bad day, and you’ve spilled your coffee, and you feel like you can’t do anything right (we’ve all been there), you’ll always have these positive emails to return to, reassuring you that your work is appreciated.
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3. Winning an office-wide contest.
When it comes to morale-boosting contests, the opportunities are endless. Maybe you completely dominated your office’s fantasy football league, despite having limited knowledge. Perhaps you got the gift card everyone was competing for over Christmas. Whatever your win is, celebrate it! Obviously you shouldn’t start gloating, but getting excited is exactly why the contest exists in the first place.
4. When your boss trusts you to represent the company.
Sometimes your superiors will send you to a luncheon, a networking event, or even on a business trip. Your first reaction might be to completely freak out, wonder what you’re going to wear, and debate whether or not you’ll be the youngest person there. Instead, get your business cards ready to go and realize that this means you’re a valuable part of the team. It’s a big deal, worth celebrating (in fact, it calls for cocktails).
This article originally appeared on Levo.com. To read more, visit their website.