We’ve all had that moment, right? The sweet taste of victory, no matter how big or small. Maybe it was landing the big promotion, winning a tennis match, or—like me—scoring a petty little triumph that no one else will ever care about. But here I am, two days later, still basking in the glow. I want to throw it into every conversation, casually remind everyone I encounter, “Oh, did I mention how I totally crushed that thing the other day?” But I know that kind of victory lap gets old fast, and soon enough, people start wishing you’d let it go.

So how long is it socially acceptable to bask in a win? If you’re an Oscar winner, maybe you get to enjoy it until your next big flop. But, oh, wait—just ask Will Smith how long the glow lasts before something (ahem a slap heard around the world) wipes it away. One minute you’re floating on a cloud of golden statuette glory, the next you’re the subject of a meme. The afterglow, it turns out, is fragile.

On the other hand, if you win the Super Bowl, you get a parade! You get to stretch that win out with confetti and crowds. Highlight reels forever. When you win the U.S. Open, your name gets etched onto a trophy that generations will admire. Those are wins that have a longer shelf life. But for the rest of us? For those of us who win the little things that don’t come with parades, highlight reels, or engraved trophies? How long do we get to bask?

Here’s the thing: I’m still thrilled about my small, inconsequential win, and I’m playing the mental highlight reel on repeat. Maybe no one else will care, but does that matter? Does the glow fade faster because fewer people know? Or is it more of an internal thing? Is the true measure of basking time about how long I feel like a champ, not how long others let me gloat about it?

Sure, I can’t keep bringing it up in conversations. That would be weird. (Trust me, I tried.) But that doesn’t mean I can’t savor it in my own way. Sometimes, a small victory—no matter how petty or insignificant to others—can carry you through a week, a month, or maybe just a few more hours. Either way, I’ll be here, still basking.

Because why not? In a world that moves too fast, where wins can feel so fleeting, I say we take every moment we can to feel victorious—even if it’s just for ourselves. So here’s to the small wins, the mental highlight reels, and the satisfaction of knowing I did that. Even if I can’t parade it around for much longer, I can still smile about it. And really, isn’t that what matters?