I’ve seen them many times over the past four years as my husband and I have hacked away at our debt: three little words that can add a thrill to an otherwise ordinary day:

The first time those words popped up on my computer screen, they represented the happy demise of our smallest credit card debt. It was hardly an amount worth celebrating, but it was a start, so we applauded ourselves anyway.

As we tackled one debt after another, we saw those three words a lot. Credit card companies, collection agencies, the credit union that helped me buy a car I couldn’t afford—one by one, each lender typed those three little words and sent them our way.

And one by one, we celebrated the death of another payment.

Each time we conquered a debt, my husband and I would scrape together a little money to celebrate. Sure, we could have used the cash to pay off another debt a few days sooner, but we thought it was important to recognize each accomplishment—to say a prayer of thanks, look back over what we once owed and mark another milestone.

Not too long ago, the three words popped up again. This time, they came in the form of a text message from a relative who had loaned us some money. I knew we had mailed the final check, but the text caught my attention.

“Paid in full.”

I quickly showed it to my husband. His response:

“Cool.”

“Yeah, it is,” I replied.

And then we moved on with our busy life. We had laundry to fold, bills to pay, doctor’s appointments to schedule and friends to see. No time for a celebration. We were already robotically moving on to the next debt, the next goal, the next task.

Don’t forget to celebrate the wins, even the small ones.

It wasn’t until the following Sunday, as we drove home from a powerful worship service, that my husband said, out of the blue, “You know, we didn’t celebrate paying off that debt.”

He was right. We had glossed right over it. And it just didn’t feel right.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying every little victory should be commemorated with lobster and champagne. That could quickly become counterproductive.

I am saying it’s important to do something. Crank the music and dance around the house. Pick up a pint of ice cream. Send up a heartfelt prayer of thanks. Whatever it takes to mark the milestone and celebrate it well, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

The road to financial freedom can be a long and winding one. It certainly isn’t easy, and if you’re like us, there will be all kinds of temptations to give in and slow the momentum you’ve worked so hard to build.

Don’t give in. Don’t allow yourself to burn out. Propel yourself forward by taking time to pause and recognize the little victories.

It may seem silly or inconsequential, but it’s not. Acknowledging your accomplishments will keep you motivated and give you something to look forward to. And perhaps most importantly, it’ll remind you to be thankful for every blessing that has brought you to where you are.

So go ahead and celebrate those three, sweet little words: paid in full.