Sharing Small Successes Builds a Big Community

Allison Gingras invites participation in one of her favorite longtime Catholic Mom features: Small Success Thursday, now on Instagram.

More than ten years ago, Danielle Bean began a project she called Small Success. At the time, Danielle served as editor of Faith & Family magazine (and website) and juggled the demands (and joys) of being a mom of eight. When we relaunched CM Small Success on Instagram in 2020, Danielle shared the genesis of this idea:

I realized that it was easy to become frustrated in our daily work as wives and mothers, and so it was important to focus on positive things we were accomplishing, however small. So I came up with the idea to have a weekly post where we would invite everyone to share three small things they got right each week—Small Success.

A long-time fan of Small Success, both when it lived on Faith & Family, and after Sherry Antonetti resurrected the idea at CatholicMom, I was humbled and excited to take the reins in its latest form—a weekly post on Instagram. What started for me as a fun way to connect with our Catholic Mom Community has become a diary of sorts. I'm not sure what prompted me to draft each post in Google Docs, but I am so glad I did because now I have nearly two years of memories to look back on and can count and cheer for many successes (big and small).

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Marking your ups helps us weather the downs. Seeing the triumphs, even if it is just an hour without a dish in the sink, a decluttered countertop, cuddle time with the kids, or much-needed "Me Time," lifts our spirits more than you can imagine. Sharing these mini mommy moments of excellence with others not only is fun for you but also works to encourage the reader of your post (or comments).

I am also a big fan of the shared camaraderie that comes from knowing I'm not the only one who experiences joy at crossing something off a to-do list, reveling in simple moments, or being able to conquer anything you once saw as too challenging. A myriad of ways to arrive at a small success!

Click to tweet:
Sharing mini mommy moments of excellence with others not only is fun for you but also works to encourage the reader of your post. #catholicmom

Here are just a few of my favorites over the two years:

Worked on (and finished) a project I never would have thought myself capable of just a few years ago. It is such a blessing to see yourself grow spiritually and professionally!
Cleaned out the refrigerator, including eating leftovers instead of throwing them away. Not saying some didn't go that route, but proud that it was less than usual.
Got my daughter off to school every morning in September with her hair combed, belly full, and all necessary supplies in the backpack! Fun Fact: I had everything on her school supply list in the house—no shopping required! *This after a year of remote learning.
Submitted my tax documents to my accountant on time for the first time in probably ten years! Bookkeeping is not my strongest suit! Luckily, he is a good friend with a good sense of humor, who responded with, "Omgoodness, is it May already!"

Another unexpected blessing of moving Small Success to Instagram is providing yet another fun vehicle with which we can connect with the Catholic Mom Community. I love getting to know you better and cheering with you. Social media was created to be social, connect, and build friendships to encourage and support each other. #CMSmallSuccess is just one little way we can accomplish that big goal!

On Instagram?

Please consider joining us every Thursday, on Instagram @CatholicMomCommunity to share your Small Successes in the comments or post on your own account using the hashtag #CMsmallsuccess

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