As we go throughout our day we are presented with many opportunities to thank people for their kindness and gestures. Shopping, work, play and almost everywhere we go something happens that requires us to thank someone for something that they did. It’s human nature, at least for most of us and it is usually expected, yet well received. However, do we ever take time in the day to thank ourselves?

Throughout our normal routines we maintain an enormous level of responsibility. We work hard to meet the needs of our families, jobs, friends, not to mention the untold burdens that we place on ourselves. We have a lot to live up to from the moment we wake up in the morning until we lay our head down on the pillow at night. That makes for a pretty full today.

I would venture to say that there probably isn’t one time in the day that we actually look in the mirror and thank ourselves for a job well done. We pull off a special event and thank everyone for coming, yet we never thank ourselves for all the work that we put into making it successful. We have a major accomplishment at work and we thank all those involved and forget to thank ourselves for leading the team that made it happen. Often, when we do major things, thanking ourselves may actually be the only thanks that we get.

You have to wonder why it is that we will go out of our way to make sure that others are appreciated, cared for and nurtured, yet the last person that we heap praise and thanks on is ourselves. Don’t we deserve the same thanks and recognition that we give to others? Perhaps we don’t believe that we do and that is why we just take for granted that thanking others is enough.

The next time you get through a day and you have accomplished what you set out to do or pulled off some major feat, I want you to stand in front of the mirror and acknowledge what you have done. It may sound silly, but when you do it, you will see the power that self appreciation has. Appreciating ourselves opens wider avenues to appreciating others. The better we feel about ourselves, the easier it is to acknowledge and be open to the world around us. There is only one you and that you deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated.

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles today.

Ron