Be Proud

You have been working so hard to accomplish your goals.  You finally completed them and nobody even notices.  You wish someone would pa you on the back and tell you that you did a good job.  I mean, a parade would be nice, but you’d settle for a “way to go!” 

Yes, I know that we should not care what other people think about us, but the truth is that we do.  We all want someone to be proud of us.  It makes us feel good to hear someone tell us that we did something right. 

If you are feeling this way, your family probably has those feelings, too.  Do you celebrate their accomplishments?  Do you celebrate the little things too? 

When our children are small, they get treats for using the potty.  As they grow older, they get gold stars for completing chores.  They want to please you and make you happy, so they do their best in the hopes of a “good job.”  We tend to celebrate the big things like graduations or promotions, but do we remember the day-to-day high fives? 

You ask your son to empty the dishwasher.  He puts his controller down and empties it.  You go on about your day not even acknowledging that he did what you asked.  A simple “Thank you!” or “I appreciate that you emptied the dishwasher so quickly!”  could make all the difference in the world to him.  Imagine how you would feel if someone thanked you and appreciated you.   Why not do the same for your family?

We have been told to treat others the way we want to be treated.  Be for them what you want them to be for you.  Congratulate them, celebrate them, and make sure they know you’re proud of their achievements.