When was the last time you gave yourself a big pat on the back? When was the last time you acknowledged all the good things you’ve done lately? When was the last time you gave yourself some kudos and appreciation and said “well done” to yourself?
Let me change up the question. When was the last time you criticised yourself? When was the last time you gave yourself a hard time for something you did or didn’t do? When was the last time you berated yourself?
I’m going to guess that the answer to the first set of questions is “not that recently” (and if your answer was “just a moment ago”, well done! You are a champion self-supporter and I salute you). I’m also going to guess that the answer to the second set of questions is “today”.
Most of us utterly suck at being kind and appreciative and supportive of ourselves. This month in the Fall in Love With Life group we’re talking about and practicing self-love. A big part of self-love is acknowledging and honouring yourself for what you do and achieve (the opposite of the self-criticism we’re all so very good at).
This came into sharp focus for me this weekend. As you may know, the paperback copy of my 2nd book was released on Friday. On Sunday, I realised that in all the ‘to-do’s and the million thoughts flying through my brain, not once had I stopped to say ‘well done, me’.
Other people had congratulated me and acknowledged my achievement, which I had graciously accepted…and then moved on to the next thing on my list. I never stopped to acknowledge and recognise my achievement, my hard work or anything at all.
(Back to being my worst-ever boss again, whoops!)
So I took a few minutes just to say ‘well done’. Well done for doing more than I ever have before to promote and share a book. Well done for giving myself more time than ever before to do that promotion work. Well done for installing and learning to use new software quickly in the days before the release date. Well done for writing and releasing another paperback. Well done for everything…
Once I started, I actually kept going for at least half a page – I really needed that bit of self-love, validation and self-appreciation (from myself, not from other people). And my guess is that you do too. Whether you work for yourself or not, be a great boss for yourself and congratulate yourself for what you’ve done right recently. Whatever you can think of. However small the achievement.
Well done for putting dinner on the table. Well done for paying your bills. Well done for doing your work. Well done for making your bed, doing your washing, getting dressed! Just give yourself some praise and acknowledgement for all you do.
Praise is a great motivating tool (and feel good tool). It works on dogs, men, employees…and on you. Yes, I know you’re not Queen of the Known Universe yet and you haven’t done everything on your to do list (newsflash: you probably never will, especially if your to do list has 8000 things on it). But you still deserve to be acknowledged, praised, honoured, recognised and even applauded!
So give yourself some self-love and just say “well done”.
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