When you talk to yourself what types of things do you say? Are most of the things you tell yourself positive? Or the sad alternative – negative talk? I’ve experimented with several type of things, from posting a list of positive things on the bathroom mirror to practicing while looking in the mirror positive affirmations about myself. Talk about uncomfortable….
Generally, I like me, but sometimes, as we all do, I go through periods of not being a great friend to myself. The creep begins, self-doubt, dislike or even annoyance with myself. In December 2022 I finished my master’s degree. It wasn’t until 2-3 months after I finished that I was able to acknowledge to myself what an amazing accomplishment it was.
I was a mediocre student growing up. It usually took me a long time to study, and my memory was not the best. History…. forget about it, and I did (ha). Naturally when I chose my area of study, International Relations, you cannot imagine how shocked I was when my first class was World History. SERIOUSLY? Well, I slayed, I’m proud to say.
Oddly it was not until I received my diploma in the mail that I finally congratulated myself for all the hard work I accomplished. I was proud of myself. I tend not to celebrate accomplishments. I’m always thinking in my head “what next”, without taking the appropriate WoMEnt to acknowledge and celebrate what I have achieved.
Is there something you have worked really hard for that you didn’t give yourself enough time and space to celebrate?
Celebrate you gurl. You deserve it!
My best moments have sprung from times when I’ve felt somewhat hopeless to otherwise engage. Two examples: learning that a former student, now a teacher, lived in an area devastated by a hurricane. She was fine but her school and many of her students suffered terrible losses. I thought to myself, I’d give her the shirt off my back if I could. My next thought was why not give them the shirts off our backs…so I approached our local high school where I’d taught for 19 years about conducting a shirt drive – gently used items the kids would part with…nearly 3500 shirts later – some kids went shopping and cleared the sale racks while others donated school logo and team jerseys, and faculty cleaned out closets with dress shirts and golf shirts. Our school even created ceramic tigers, our mascot, for change donations totally over $300. I was flabbergasted…and a HS pal of my former student, learning about the drive, commissioned an Old Dominion truck to transport the two-pallet load from CNY to North Carolina. A cherished memory.
The second will be completed next weekend at my 50th HS reunion. I’ve assembled a Memory Booklet to share with my classmates – it’s been a five-month process gathering addresses and vignettes, but it’s now published and ready to share with the 105 folks attending. I’ve mailed out 40 copies to friends who can’t come but who contributed to the booklet – and I managed to talk the reunion group into putting excess into a scholarship for two 2023 grads from our school – once word of this got out, classmates have sent donations to bolster the $250 awards, now looking like $1125 awards and likely to increase at the dinner.
I’m overwhelmed with the generosity of others!! So what have I learned? Tis true; ask and we will receive so we can do for others. #AttitudeOfGratitude
So proud of your self-acknowledgement! There was never any doubt in my mind about what you will achieve or experience in life, Chrissy! You know how to “be” with others, and with any topic you choose! Love your open, gifted soul! Best always!
Great to see you’re back! I’ve missed your insightful, funny posts! And congratulations on a remarkable achievement!
Great to see you’re back! I’ve missed your insightful, funny posts! And congratulations on a remarkable achievement!