🌼 Gratitude in April: Day 13
Thankful for tiny victories
Back when I was still on Instagram, I used to host Tiny Victory Tuesdays. New followers initially felt discouraged by this — they'd DM me saying they didn't have any wins to share. I'd remind them that all we're looking for is tiny victories; no win was too small to celebrate.
Eventually, even the most stressed-out stepparents started sharing hesitant wins like... "Well I guess I cried less this week" or "My stepkid didn't completely ignore me."
Tiny victories that couldn't possibly be considered wins by anyone other than stepparents living in high conflict. Tiny victories that absolutely, totally, 100% count as wins.
I remember wishing for huge, undeniable wins myself — dramatic court victories and firm boundary-setting and admissions of wrong-doing by certain high-conflict exes. The sexy wins, you know?
Looking back, though, I find it's the tiny victories I treasure the most. That time my SD spontaneously hugged me when she saw the mural I painted on her bedroom wall. That time she could've picked anywhere to go for her birthday brunch and she asked me to make her favorite pancakes at home instead.
Those are the moments I hold closest in my heart: the tiniest of tiny victories. And I am so thankful that I didn't overlook them just because they weren't loud, massive wins all lit up in neon lights.
TODAY'S PROMPT:
Think of the tiniest possible victories from your stepfam life — the wins that wouldn't look like wins to anyone but you. And include 3 of those on your daily gratitude list tonight.