15 Mar Spend time recognising your successes and boost your happiness!
via PsychCentral by Cherilynn Veland
I recently held a workshop on “Positive Psychology In the Workplace,” and it was a wonderful refresher on research-based happiness enhancers.
One of the exercises I had the class do was to spend time reflecting on their successes. When was the last time you did that?
Seriously, when?!
If you are like me, a “normal” woman just chugging along, juggling a million things, you probably aren’t spending time picturing yourself getting a pat on the back, much less patting yourself on the back.
Do it now. See yourself walking across a stage, in an auditorium filled with hundreds of people you have known throughout your life: family, friends, coworkers, bosses. You are in a hot pink graduation gown, and the announcer is having everyone stand up as you walk across the stage. The crowd roars as you hear a list of your accomplishments resounding throughout the auditorium… “And then Kathy did _____. And then ______.
“And then Kathy left that abusive relationship and finished her college degree.” (Thunderous applause.)
The diploma they hand you has a list of all your achievements. There you stand, smiling in your favorite dress, as all your friends and family clap. You hear whistles and yelling—and more applause. You stand there preening.
Research shows that valuing your achievements is an important part of long-term happiness. So, here’s a 2-minute exercise to help you do that.
Note before you start: Watch your self-talk. Many caring, compassionate and loving people have a tendency to self-talk critically. This is when our internal voice is hard on us, and we deal ourselves painful remarks that often are not based on anyone’s thoughts but our own. It’s a harmful hard-wiring that takes time to reverse.
So, during the 2-Minute Achievement Exercise, be kind to yourself. Your accomplishments can be found in the things you have done, places you have been, things you have learned, even the fear you’ve faced. In addition, measure your accomplishments from where you have been to where you are now, not by traditional modes of “accomplishment.” For example, if you grew up in an abusive household, dealing with substance abuse and no support, getting a high school diploma is an amazing accomplishment…
…keep reading for a great 2 minute exercise / activity HERE