Personal Development: Be Your Own Cheerleader

 “Always concentrate on how far you’ve come, rather than how far you have left to go.” ~Unknown

You have to learn to celebrate yourself. We often freely praise others for their achievements yet withhold it from ourselves. So why do we find it so hard to praise ourselves when we achieve something? Well it doesn’t seem to matter whether our accomplishments are small or sensational, giving ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done is almost impossible for many. It could be, perhaps you were trained to be modest, hopeless or you simply didn’t learn to believe in yourself. Perhaps your past achievements were simply ignored by parents, peers or mentors and you’ve simply given up on expecting accolades.

Be your own cheerleader

However, if no one else recognizes the achievements you've made and the challenges you've come through, and you're waiting for someone else to pat you on the back, stop waiting for others. Learn to toot your own horn, without being boastful or arrogant about it, of course. Self-praise is important, more important than praise from others. Others are not always dependable. But, you can always count on yourself. So today, begin your journey of self-commendation. Correct your inner critic. You have to change the language of what you have been saying about you. Praise yourself for each achievement, however insignificant you may think it is. And don't concentrate on the things left to do, celebrate what you have accomplished. Watch yourself achieving as you go about your day. And give yourself a pat on the back... you deserve it. Five, six, seven, eight, who do you appreciate!