In honor of finally properly celebrating my two-year anniversary with my partner, and a reminder for all my friends and myself who I know are struggling right now with lots of things. 

It gets progressively more and more difficult to pull yourself up by your bootstraps day in and day out as the weeks pile on. We all know this. Unfortunately, there isn’t really a cut-and-dry solution for this. There are only good ones.

Surround yourself with people who support you, people who remind you — even if it is a slightly amused, all-knowing from a professor — that you’re worrying too much and that, yes, you can, in fact, “do it.”

For those of you who have tried to give me advice, you’ll know that I’m pretty much the most stubborn horse who will be led to the water, but refuse to drink. I’ll maybe only drink when you’ve finally given up on me and have got your back turned. (It’s awful, I know.)

But this, here, is a little note to remind everyone, as well as myself, of the little victories we had today, and yesterday, and the day before, and all the days before that. Success can take on many forms.

Success is not dropping a massive box of fragile food and goods while hiking several blocks uphill.

Success is sharing a long dinners with a loved one.

Success is finding pastries that salvage and redeem otherwise ruined dinner plans.

Success is watching the ballet and feeling relaxed because you’re not thinking about tomorrow’s work.

Success is throwing together a shockingly wonderful spur-of-the-moment meal.

Success is not allowing yourself to spoil a surprise of gourmet donuts.

Success is feeling accomplished — from completing tasks either big or small.

Hang in there.