Celebrate the Wins (Even If They Don’t Feel Like Wins)
Maybe today you don’t feel like you’re winning. Maybe you feel behind, depleted, or frustrated. And maybe, it’s not because you’re not doing enough, but because your brain isn’t showing you the full picture.
Many of us with ADHD or other neurodivergences live with an internal commentary that leans toward critique. Our brains are wired to scan for problems and gaps, not progress. Add in executive dysfunction and poor working memory, and it’s easy to forget what we actually did do.
You might have powered through a morning of deep work, navigated five difficult conversations, made dinner, tidied the kitchen, replied to a tricky email, but now it’s 9pm, and you’ve watched three episodes of something and feel like you “wasted the day.”
That feeling is real. But it’s not the truth.
So how do we reclaim the full picture?
The trick isn’t just doing more. It’s noticing what we’ve done and letting it count.
This could be:
A five-minute reflection at the end of the day
A voice note to yourself or a friend
A weekly roundup during your planning time
Or a monthly review to zoom out and get perspective
Wins don’t have to be dramatic. They don’t need to impress anyone. And they definitely don’t need to look like someone else’s. They just need to mean something to you.
What Counts As A Win?
Taking a nap because you noticed your body needed rest
Sending the email that made your stomach twist
Moving your body
Reaching out instead of spiralling in
Saying no when you normally say yes
Making progress on a song you were stuck on
Showing up, however you could, when you wanted to give up
Your nervous system doesn’t care how shiny a win looks. It just cares that you registered it. Noticing what works gives you something to build on and helps slowly shift your internal narrative.
But My Brain Still Doesn’t Let It Land...
Yep. ADHD brains love moving the goalposts.
“Okay, you did the thing. But why didn’t you do MORE?”
This is why celebrating wins isn’t indulgent. It’s a practical strategy for resilience.
It helps build trust in yourself and gives you actual evidence to push back when your inner critic gets loud.Try This:
Say it out loud
Voice note your win. Doesn’t have to be profound. Just say: “I did this today.”Make it visible
Start a “Wall of Wins”, digital or physical. Add to it when you remember. The goal is to see what you’ve done.
Zoom in and zoom out
Try listing 3 wins from yesterday, 3 from the past week, and 3 from the last month. You’ll probably surprise yourself.
Mine Looked Like This:
Yesterday:
Scheduled a nap because I recognised I was tired
Ran an accountability session
Made dinner for three
Helped plan an event
Progressed a set for my upcoming gig
Did some family time
Wrote this blog
Last week:
Got a new freelance job
Prepped for a gig two weeks away
Replied to a collaborator within 48 hours
Felt the burn on the weights machine
Took a proper break for my birthday
Contributed to a group project and finished it
Last month:
Started a gym routine
Applied for a music fund
Attended a creative retreat
Edited audio for a big-name producer
Had a client release their first track
Went to a couple of gigs
Continued daily journalling
And two days ago? I did nothing. I didn’t get dressed. I didn’t leave the house.
And I enjoyed every minute of it.
Build Your Foundation
Many neurodivergent creatives struggle with self-esteem not because they haven’t achieved anything, but because they can’t remember what they’ve done. So when you’re asked to name your strengths, you freeze. You know you’ve done things. But they’re just… gone.
Making your wins visible isn’t ego. It’s scaffolding.
It gives you something to lean on when your brain tries to convince you you’re getting nowhere.
It says: I’ve done things before. I can do them again.
And that, dear reader, is worth celebrating.
Over to You
What’s a win, big or small, you can name from this week?
Stick it in a note. Send it to a friend. Whisper it to yourself in the mirror.
But don’t skip it.
You’re doing more than you realise.
Let yourself see it.