Pulse - July 2024 - 40

FROM THE SCVMA OFFICE
JENNIFER HAWKINS, DVM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JHAWKINS@SCVMA.ORG
JENNIFER HA
It's the Little Things...
W
hile standing for some time on an extension of the school field outside of my daughter's school,
I joked with my husband about how we're all congratulating kids on completing another year
of state compulsory education. Eventually, we began to see the younger grades line up on each side
of the field and the outgoing 5th graders walking down the center of the aisle. Grades K-4 were clapping
and cheering. Finally, the soon-to-be middle schoolers crossed over the border of the school to
the field off campus where families lined up cheering and clapping. This was the 5th grade clap out.
And, as silly as it sounds to celebrate children moving through the school system as everyone does,
the ritual itself is something that heralds the new phase in their lives and all the independence and
change that comes with it.
The need for ritual is something that is part
of being human. It is derived from a need to
acknowledge times of profound experience and
transition and is an essential part of life. There
is also something to be said for the power of
progress. Did you know that celebrating progress
stimulates motivation and self-esteem
more so than does celebrating outcomes?
Any accomplishment, no matter how
small, triggers the release of dopamine thus
boosting mood, motivation, and attention.
Unfortunately, our brains are built to remember
negatives more than positives. Due to this
inherent negativity bias, we tend to remember
failures more so than successes. Because
of this, it is important to take time to counter
that and intentionally take notice of the
positives. It can take a little extra effort, but
acknowledging even small accomplishments
renews self-esteem which in turn builds hope
and motivation.
Those of us in this field tend to be very
driven and often quite hard on ourselves. We
may also deflect compliments or congratulations
on the small stuff because it's not that big
of a deal. I've come to realize that the celebration
of achievement and the positive emotions
you feel is reward for the work you put in. It
is important to celebrate reaching small, intermediate
goals.
Many management applications and programs
capitalize on the concept of breaking
down goals into smaller achievable tasks.
Additionally, it's been found that staff are more
motivated when they are acknowledged on
completing the steps toward a work goal than
if they are only acknowledged when the end
goal has been met.
Most of us did not have a graduation ceremony
for transitioning from pre-school to
kindergarten, or 5th to 6th grades. Heck, I
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JULY 2024
PULSE
didn't even walk for my graduation from undergrad
because I felt it was merely a small step
toward my goal of becoming a veterinarian. I
now understand that some of these rituals may
be to acknowledge the parents' success as much
or more so than that of the students.
So, celebrate the small stuff! You got
through half of your callbacks before midday?
Take a moment to acknowledge the success.
Your enterotomy patient passed it's first stool?
Maybe they're not out of the woods yet, but
you can still appreciate your role in that that
step to recovery. Your staff created its first of
several client communication sheets for the
online library? Bravo!
Taking time to acknowledge the little things
and the intermediate steps towards larger
goals helps cancel out our negative bias, supports
self-esteem, and helps keep us moving
forward. You don't have to throw a party or
do a dance (unless you want to). It may be
something as simple as texting a friend " Hey, I
just changed the toner all by myself! " or " Hey,
guys, I finished my Executive Director page! "

Pulse - July 2024

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