What Have You Done Today to Make You Feel Proud?
Posted 10-29-2008 at 05:58 PM by Alison P
This song by Heather Small is an important call to action for each of us – and yet it is important to really “hear” what her call to action is. There are a surprising number of people who have heard this chorus as “what have I done today to make you feel proud?”, and then are crushed with disappointment when the person they are trying to please does not acknowledge their accomplishment.
Why does this happen to them? Because they do not feel it is enough to give themselves a pat on the back – they have a much deeper need and desire than the average person for the acknowledgment of others to feel good about themselves.
Think about that. Something is seriously awry when ones self-esteem is so low you cannot feel proud of your own accomplishments without someone else also giving you credit. This is different from the usual wanting others to acknowledge your efforts – we all would like that. But not all of us are crushed emotionally if our loved one, partner, friend, colleague ignores our deeds. Stung, yes. Hurt, perhaps. But crushed? Not usually.
Try this - shift your attitude of trying to find something to do to make someone else feel proud, and look instead to doing something that makes you yourself feel proud.
We need to learn to know and acknowledge when we ourselves have accomplished something. We need to give ourselves the pat on the back when we made a cold call at work for example (a sales call to a prospect who has not previously contacted you). We need to give ourselves a clapping hand when we have reached beyond our comfort zone to try something different. We need to feel proud each time we have done something to be proud about, no matter how small the accomplishment.
And perhaps to create the action steps that will result in that accomplishment, start by asking yourself “What have I done today to make me feel proud?”
Why does this happen to them? Because they do not feel it is enough to give themselves a pat on the back – they have a much deeper need and desire than the average person for the acknowledgment of others to feel good about themselves.
Think about that. Something is seriously awry when ones self-esteem is so low you cannot feel proud of your own accomplishments without someone else also giving you credit. This is different from the usual wanting others to acknowledge your efforts – we all would like that. But not all of us are crushed emotionally if our loved one, partner, friend, colleague ignores our deeds. Stung, yes. Hurt, perhaps. But crushed? Not usually.
Try this - shift your attitude of trying to find something to do to make someone else feel proud, and look instead to doing something that makes you yourself feel proud.
We need to learn to know and acknowledge when we ourselves have accomplished something. We need to give ourselves the pat on the back when we made a cold call at work for example (a sales call to a prospect who has not previously contacted you). We need to give ourselves a clapping hand when we have reached beyond our comfort zone to try something different. We need to feel proud each time we have done something to be proud about, no matter how small the accomplishment.
And perhaps to create the action steps that will result in that accomplishment, start by asking yourself “What have I done today to make me feel proud?”
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