Taking on New Challenges and Celebrating Small Wins

Taking on new challenges is an essential part of personal and professional growth. Recently, I embarked on a journey that pushed me beyond my comfort zone: I enrolled in and successfully completed my first all-Swedish supervision course. While I can read and speak Swedish for everyday use, this course required me to engage in group discussions about pedagogy and how to supervise PhD students, prepare presentations, and write reports—all in Swedish. This was definitely a new level of difficulty for me.

Each course day brought a mix of excitement and nervousness. The thought of discussing complex topics in a language that I was still learning was daunting. However, I was determined to push through. With each session, I felt a bit more confident, and by the end of the course, I was both happy and relieved to have completed it successfully.

This experience reinforced my belief in the importance of celebrating every small success and positive step along the way. It’s easy to wait for big milestones to celebrate, but recognizing smaller achievements can be incredibly motivating. I try to encourage my team members to do the same. Celebrating these moments helps build morale and keeps us motivated to continue pushing forward.

Personally, I have always found it challenging to focus on my successes. I tend to dwell on the negatives and overlook the positives. However, I am actively working on changing this mindset. Completing this course is a step in the right direction for me, both in terms of my language skills and my personal development.

I want to inspire my team to take on new challenges and step out of their comfort zones. Growth happens when we push our boundaries and embrace the unknown. Whether it’s learning a new skill, taking on a new project, or simply trying something different, these experiences shape us and help us grow.

So, let’s celebrate every step forward, no matter how small it may seem. Each success is a building block towards our larger goals. Here’s to embracing challenges and celebrating our progress along the way.