100+ Ways Grant Writing Unicorns Celebrate Wins!

Intro

Celebrating wins is a core value at Learn Grant Writing. Big or small wins, we take the act of celebrating seriously. In fact, the entire Global Grant Writers Collective does. Within our community group, Circle, we have a channel dedicated to “Wins + Gratitude”. You’d be hard pressed to find a post sharing a win where someone neglects to comment: “How are you celebrating?”

Why Celebration Matters

Celebrating wins - regardless of how small - matters a great deal. This value was born and bred from co-founder Alex Lustig. Why? Celebrating creates a culture of recognition. It feels good to take a moment to recognize the time, energy, and hard work we put into achieving a task, overcoming a fear, creating a mindset shift, or pushing through imposter syndrome.

It can also be a little uncomfortable to take the moment to actually recognize our own hard work. Celebrating is an amazing tool in our self-worth toolbox. How often would we take a friend out for coffee because she did something that she worked really hard for? How often have we sent flowers or a card to a friend to mark a special moment? You deserve this kind of love too. When we ask ourselves: “How will I celebrate this moment in my journey?” It’s also saying: “I deserve to feel worthy of the thing that I just accomplished.” “I am worthy of celebration.” If that last statement makes you feel uncomfortable, I dare you to celebrate yourself this week. Lean into the discomfort. I promise you, it’s worth it.

Celebrating wins is the next step after completing a hard thing. Taking the moment to mark the achievement helps us to get through the next hard thing. Through reflection and remembrance, we know we’ve done hard things in the past. Therefore, we know we can do them in the future. How empowering?!

How Unicorns Celebrate Wins

We asked Unicorns to share how they celebrate wins. Here are their answers and a few of our own:

1. Attending Disney on Ice
2. Food rewards - especially trying brand new restaurants
3. An outing for Boba tea
4. Planning a short camping trip for when I get my first funding strategy
5. Chocolate torte at my favorite pizza place
6. Chocolate bar in general
7. Getting a fiction book and reading it
8. A home improvement gift like extra amazing throw pillows
9. New candle
10. In-house dance party to Beyonce when I get a signed contract
11. Dinner with a view
12. Sushi
13. Buying a new book I want, but don't need
14. Day at the spa
15. Purple lipstick because I can
16. I cook myself something yummy
17. Go out to a new restaurant that I've been wanting to try
18. Do something fun with my partner or a friend
19. A few hours off the next day after finishing a big grant to go for an extra long walk with the dog
20. A backcountry ski
21. A bike ride
22. Buying a cappuccino and a baked good from a favorite bakery
23. Buying something I want, but don't need
24. Champagne or a dinner out at a nice restaurant (or both)!

25. A picnic in the park
26. Writing a gratitude journal entry
27. Creating a vision board for my future goals
28. Watching the sunrise
29. Treating myself to a day at the art museum
30. Treating myself to a new gadget or tech toy
31. Total decadence with a massage
32. Adventure day on the zip-line
33. Wine tasting at a vineyard
34. Booking a weekend at a cozy cabin in the Rocky Mountains
35. Writing a heartfelt letter (yes, words are my love language!)
36. A day in the garden to plant and play
37. Volunteering in the community
38. Taking a well-deserved day off work to relax
39. Lighting up the BBQ for a backyard cookout
40. A night around the firepit and under the stars
41. Organizing a themed costume party, well why not?
42. Trying a new craft
43. An adventure at one of those Locked Room places
44. Booking a yoga retreat
45. Sending thank-you notes to those who supported you
46. Creating a playlist of songs that totally rock and remind me I’m awesome!
47. Booking a professional headshot photoshoot
48. Participating in a charity run
49. A scenic hike

50. Attending a seminar I’ve been lurking at
51. Taking a cooking class
52. Exploring a new city for a stay-cation
53. Taking a mixology class
54. A poolside day of sun
55. A DIY craft day
56. Attending a cultural festival
57. Booking a family photo session
58. Camping in the great outdoors
59. Booking a getaway to a tropical paradise
60. Taking a wine or whiskey tasting tour
61. Having a dance party in my living room
62. Wearing a lavish costume all day
63. Belting my favorite song at the top of my lungs (What’s Up by Four Non Blondes)
64. Tossing confetti in the air and letting it rain down on me
65. Eating brinner (breakfast for dinner)
66. Making a celebratory TikTok dance video
67. Writing a cheesy victory speech and delivering it to a mirror
68. Having a water balloon fight with my kiddos
69. Playing a round of mini-golf or putt-putt with my partner
70. Buying myself a bouquet of flowers
71. Having marshmallows over the fire
72. Creating a chalk mural on the sidewalk
73. A playlist of my guilty pleasure songs
74. Picking up some exotic sweet treats

75. Having a picnic with all my favorite childhood snacks
76. Wearing a crown all day
77. Decorating my space with balloons
78. Building a blanket fort and binge-watching my favorite shows
79. A spontaneous dance party in my living room
80. A day of pajamas and ice cream
81. A backyard slip 'n slide
82. A "Silent Disco" where everyone dances with wireless headphones
83. Taking an aerial yoga class
84. Attending an improv workshop
85. Upgrading my business setup with some new tech
86. A relaxing bubble bath
87. Buying a unicorn onesie
88. Mocktail party to celebrate
89. An afternoon of nothing but cuddling up with a good book and a delicious beverage
90. Joining a flash mob
91. Wiggling on the rooftop to my favorite jams
92. Packing a picnic for a sunset celebration
93. Checking out the Meow Wolf in my city
94. Buying coffee for a stranger (pay it forward)
95. Getting my nails done
96. Going to the beach
97. Trying one of those Hibachi grill restaurants
98. Ordering the biggest, most outrageously decorated, and over the top beverage at Starbucks
99. Buying myself an adult coloring book
100. Baking unicorn cupcakes

Types Of Wins Unicorns Celebrate

Unicorns have a lot to celebrate! In the Global Grant Writers Collective, we make sure to pull out the confetti to mark different milestones along the journey such as making the first $3K, getting certified, landing a full time job, or getting to $50K as a consultant. Unicorns bring their own flare and celebrate all manner of their journey.

Celebrating wins like

• Joining the Collective
• Sending out informational interview requests
• First informational interview
• First paid client
• First Funding Strategy
• Passing certification
• First grant
• Winning a grant
• Landing a job
• Landing a new client
• Financial markers
• Coming up out of the valley of despair
• Attending a workshop
• Attending a coaching call

You can check out more wins and celebrations on our reviews page here.

Conclusion

Change is slow and clunky, at times uncomfortable, but necessary if you want to archetype a life you love. Keeping your path full of momentum requires a bit of patience and a whole lot of celebration! Wins big or small deserve your attention!

Grant Writing Resources

Keep reading our blog articles. Specifically, this one illustrates the necessity of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a grant writer . This post highlights three possible career paths for grant writers.

Also, if you’re not sure whether grant writing is a good fit, click here for our 3-minute personality quiz and find out.

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