How many times a day do you thank yourself for the things you do? It’s tough to answer isn’t it? We aren’t taught to appreciate ourselves. Our minds tell us do the to keep pushing forward instead of let’s take a glance of what we just did and say I am proud of you. We usually have to have people around us to tell us how great we are. There are a lot of people who don’t know how to accept a compliment. It’s only because people have been hard wired by their past experiences as children. You might have gotten messages about being humble or maybe you weren’t taught what you do and who you are is of value or not enough. So you constantly overachieve and overdo and still you neglect to say thank you to yourself. After awhile you start to develop a hard invisible armor that just won’t let you receive any good input. It’s sad isn’t it? I remember seeing an episode of “The Drew Carey Show” a few years back and Drew had just started seeing a therapist and the therapist made him put a hand on a stick and put it in his briefcase and anytime he said something good about himself he was to pull it out and pat himself on the back. How often do you say good things about yourself? The only way organic shift can start to happen in your life is through thanking yourself. Starting this process is really simple. Thank yourself for waking up in the morning, feeding the dog; exercising; going to work…you get the picture. It may feel stupid at first. You might think, well it has to be done. That’s not the point. The point is to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for what you’ve done. Here’s something you can do at the end of the day- think of all the things you’ve done throughout the day and thank yourself for each task. I spent a lot of my life in frustration because I felt the outside world did not acknowledge and thank me for certain things and situations that went on in my life, but when I look to myself for validation I know that that’s the only thing that matters. Really! If I am looking for validation from others I am setting myself up for heartache and disappointment. I have learned to become my own cheerleader and I am encouraging your to become your own too, and it all starts with thanking yourself first!
Starting to thank yourself is one the first steps to reclaiming your life.
Jodi Michele Cooley, The Myth Slayer and the Truth Sayer, taking you from Misery to Destiny. Author, Speaker, Workshop leader Consultant, Creator of the “Feel It Thru Method” and CEO of Life Investments Inc.
www.JodiMicheleCooley.com