The Power of Recognition

Since it’s March, and this month is all about honoring women and the actions we’ve taken towards a more equal society, it seems to me this is the perfect opportunity to talk about recognition. Recognition is the act of acknowledging the good in something or someone. It’s about giving things and people the attention and appreciation they deserve. It’s a way to celebrate the goodness within.

Think about the last time someone gave you recognition for something you did. How did it feel? Most probably it felt good, right? Now think about the last time you recognized yourself for something you did well. Was it too long ago? How often do you do it?

Many of us are used to seek and wait for recognition from others, and, when we get it, we are thrilled because we feel validated. However, expecting to get recognition only from the outside can become a nocive practice, because it means we are placing our sense of self-worth somewhere outside  ourselves. Therefore, we give up our power to make ourselves feel worthy regardless of what others think.

Truth is, you can get recognition anytime you want, you just need to learn how to give it to yourself. Recognizing yourself has many benefits. The most powerful one is that it raises your self-esteem, making you feel valuable and important. Feeling valuable is key to grow the self-confidence you will need to accomplish any goals you have, like building your own business.

So, every time you do something good, take the time to stop and acknowledge the moment. It doesn’t have to be something big. It can be something as simple as finally waking up earlier to go for that morning run. Efforts also deserve to be acknowledged; basically any action you take in the direction towards where you want to be.

Here are some actions you can take now to start recognizing yourself:

Keep a recognition diary

Place a notebook where it’s reachable and, every day before going to bed, write down at least three things you did good on that day. This helps you stay focused on your positive actions rather than the ones that went wrong.

Make a list of the things you love about yourself

Write down everything you like about yourself. Personality traits, physical features, thing you have done that you’re proud of. Challenge yourself and write at least twenty things.

Own the compliments

When others recognize you for something, own it. Allow yourself to feel good about it. Don’t try to justify or minimize it.

Prize yourself for your accomplishments

Give yourself a prize whenever you achieve something you’ve worked for. It doesn’t have to be something material, let alone expensive. Just pamper yourself in a way that makes you feel good.

We all need recognition, especially our own. We all need to feel worthy of the success, money and happiness we want. So from now on, commit to recognize and honor the great woman you already are.