Give Yourself Credit

If you’re like me, you love getting gold stars, check marks, A+’s, smiley faces… I really like being recognized because it shows me that people value me and the things that I do. From the big (a tough project at work) to the small (the dishes), it feels great when someone says “thank you” or “great job.” I really appreciate it when people appreciate me.

But…

People don’t always recognize your efforts. It happens. But I find that I want that credit! It’s not enough to enjoy the feeling of doing good, I want someone else to call me out.

Sometimes if I don’t get recognized for something, I feel resentful and the good feelings I had about my accomplishment go out the window. This can happen when I’m helping someone, too. A selfless act can turn selfish when my efforts aren’t appreciated. If I do someone a favor and they don’t say “thanks,” I take it very personally. And sometimes when I do anonymous good, I want that star so badly that I end up telling someone just to get that pat on the head.

I think the reason I crave approval so much is because I actually deny giving it to myself. It’s time to let other people off the hook and start recognizing myself. If I were to start giving myself credit for all the things I do, I wouldn’t need that outside approval. It would still be nice, but I wouldn’t be resentful if I didn’t get it.

Besides, only I know all the things I do in a day. No one else can thank me for everything. Only I can. So I’m going to start giving myself credit… even for putting the dishes away.

 

Where Am I Rich?

(We’ll just gently sweep the fact that it’s been AGES since a post under the web carpet and proceed apace…)

I spend a lot of energy thinking about what I want, which is to say what I lack, which is to say where I feel poor. Money, recognition, time… I often find myself wanting more of these things. Today it occurred to me that after months (OK, years) of wanting more time to myself, I am time rich. Thinking “I am time rich” made me feel luxuriant, blessed, wonderful. There are still 24 hours in my day – I had no more time than I used to – but I’ve started using the time I have in new and different ways.

Before this morning I was time poor. I thought about how I either didn’t have enough time or how I was squandering the time that I have. By saying that I am time rich (again, what a great feeling!), I started to see it. This week I planted three pots (biodegradable – love you, Mother Earth!) of herbs and cooked Indian food for the first time. However small, I contributed to growth and experienced new things. I enriched my life.

So I am making an effort to find other areas where I am rich and don’t even realize it. I may have to call it out on faith before I’m able to see it. Money? Rich. Recognition? Rich. Love? Rich. Happiness? Rich. Now that I’ve said it, I look for supporting evidence. Just like the law of attraction, the Secret, the rules of visualization… the more I see that supports the theory that I am rich, the richer I will be.

The richness of life can reveal itself slowly. The beautiful blossoms that burst forth in April have lain dormant for months and spent weeks working their way through tough brown coatings to reveal tender greens, deep purples, bright pinks and delicate whites. Go easy on yourself for what’s happened in the past. Open your eyes and take a look around you now. It’s never too late.

Where are you rich?

 

You Say Good-Bye, I Say Hello

2009 was a hellish year. Whether we were dealing with uncertainty at work, in our pocketbooks or at home, 2009 seemed a tumultuous year for almost everyone I know. Personally, I’m glad to be seeing it go, but not without some reflection, of course, on the things I experienced and learned from it.

My only resolution in 2009 was to love myself unconditionally. On a scale from 1 to 10, I’d give myself a 7 for my work this year. There were some periodic ups and downs, but from where I started, I think a 7 is an amazing accomplishment!

Some of the areas that my resolution really helped me to develop in were career and health.

I started off the year with uncertainty at my workplace. The old me would have told myself that I was somehow to blame due to the quality of my work, even though everything I knew and believed told me otherwise. Instead, thanks to my study of Field Theory at The Field Center, what I learned to do was change my mind. I changed worry and blame to alignment on the truth. The truth was that I’ve wanted to work from home for some time and the Universe (or Field) was just trying to give me that. As soon as I changed my mind, my career path became clear and I was offered a position working from home.

Being patient and caring with myself is also what led me to lose over 20 pounds this year. Slow and steady wins the race… I have a little over 10 more pounds to go to win this race, but without the space I’ve given myself to lose this weight in my own time, I surely would have given up by now.

2010 will involve much of the same work for me – unconditionally loving myself and using my Field Training to bring alignment into more aspects of my life.

I wish you all the same for a Happy New Year!

 

Quote of the Day

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

~ Seneca

 

Where Do I Begin?

Sometimes there is so much going on that I don’t even know where to start. What usually happens next is absolutely nothing. I end up not being productive at all and getting bored in the process.

To make matters worse, I start thinking about how I’m not doing anything and what’s wrong with me and blah blah blah.

Next I take my side in this and say, “you work so hard, you deserve a break” or “I’ll get it done another time” or some other handy excuse.

Before I know it, I’m in the middle of my own philosophical argument and – surprise! – still not accomplishing anything.

I find it’s less a matter of where to start, but when. If I decide to start now, I will find a place. But if I get so caught up in where to begin, five hours will go by in a flash and I’ll be drained from the mental effort of simply being overwhelmed.

If you’re with me, then close your eyes, take a deep breath and open your eyes. Start there. Start now.