Hi, I’m Tracy Margieson and I work in learning and organizational development at Art Center Melbourne. Where I have the great privilege of managing the Arts Wellbeing Collective. I want to share with you a hot tip about using your accomplishments and achievements to improve your mental health.

There’s a lot of research about the mental health and wellbeing benefits that come from pursuing and achieving goals, and we all know that great feeling when we have achieved something. Your first big show, landing an audition, getting a job. There’s an immediate sense of reward, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving, because you can access that memory of the accomplishment and get to feel good all over again. But, how do we actually use these accomplishments and achievements to improve our mental health and wellbeing?

Well you just have to accomplish more. It’s actually the stuff you’re doing already, big and small, but what it needs is a framework around it so you can measure it, achieve it, and have the sense of accomplishment.

You might have heard about smart goals, so specific, measurable, obtainable, relevant and time based goals. This might help you with your approach. You don’t want your goal to be write the best musical in the world. Maybe this week’s goal is writing one draft of one song for one character. Work on it, do it, celebrate it. Don’t wait until you finished the musical to pat yourself on the back.

Your goals can still be linked to a big vision and your purpose. In fact, even better if they are, but we don’t need to only feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of a massive project. Remember all the little things that you’re accomplishing along the way, and savor the success, and celebrate the big and small wins.

We have a natural negativity bias where we’ll tend to focus only on what’s not working, what we haven’t done, and so on. You’re actually achieving and accomplishing great things every single day, but you’ve got to notice them. A good way to start doing this is a what went well exercise, where at the end of the day, or after rehearsals, or after an opening you go through all the things that went well and importantly why they went well. What was the reason you were successful?

Be careful not to compare your accomplishments and achievements to others. The wonderful performing artist Marina Prior did a interview with us for the Arts Wellbeing Collective, and she said something that really stuck with me. It was that comparison is the thief of joy. Your achievements are yours. All of them. From finishing a major installation work, to finishing a crossword puzzle. Notice them, recognize them, savor them and celebrate them. It’s good for your health.

I hope you found this hot tip helpful. If you’d like to find out more about Art Center Melbourne or the Arts Wellbeing Collective visit artswellbeingcollective.com.au. Thank you.