What if every time you completed a task you received praise? What if your work received a standing ovation? What if you could potentially receive an award each year for a job well done? What if every day of your life was like the Oscars and you were acknowledged daily?
We grow up with a grading system that recognizes our achievements. Our parents praise us or reprimand us, and we stay on a certain path based on the feedback we receive from others. Later we enter the job world and our accomplishments are measured by interviews and resumes, and at some point the positive feedback seems to come to a screeching halt. Once we reach a certain place in our life the daily admiration is replaced with silence or with negative feedback. Perhaps you have a boss that only points out the flaws in your work. Maybe you are raising a teenager that “hates” you every day. Maybe a loved one spends too much time pointing out your shortcomings and you have forgotten what it is you are doing right. You are surrounded by negative voices that drain you and make you lose sight of your gifts.
The lack of fulfillment in life is becoming an epidemic, and it can be attributed to harping on the negative and a lack of praise for our daily achievements. We are used to being told when we are doing a “good job” and when it all stops, the negative becomes the dominant voice. We lose self-worth and passion for life. Then we do our work on autopilot, we eat mindlessly and we are disconnected even when we are surrounded by loved ones. This can lead to depression or digestive issues because we “aren’t digesting our life.”. Then we rely on medications to fix us rather than looking at what we can fix internally.
Think about how it feels to be praised for something you did. Doesn’t it make it all worthwhile? What if you folded the laundry and someone said, “Wow you did a great job.” Or what if you cooked a new dish and a family member said, “This meal is amazing, thank you.” What if you created a new marketing flyer for your office and someone took notice and said, “You are really talented.” These simple words can genuinely alter someone’s day, yet we rarely say them. We ignore the achievements and in turn, we lose sight of our strength.
What if you could be someone else’s Oscars ceremony or even your own? You may not be able to force others to speak with compassion and praise, but you can control the way you speak to them and to yourself. Begin today by complimenting someone for his or her talent. Thank a loved one for being an important part of your life. Be a positive light for someone else. Express gratitude for a small task. But more importantly, tell yourself you are irreplaceable at your job and that your family cannot function without you. Remind yourself that you are an incredible friend, spouse and/or sibling. See that you have talent beyond measure. Believe that your heart is made of gold and that your words have meaning and are heard. Tell yourself that you are strong, wise and beautiful.
Today you receive an A for being an outstanding human being. Feed yourself this report card and watch your world change.
Happy Lifting!
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