In our hyper competitive society, many people have begun to depend on outside recognition to bolster their sense of self-worth. Finding it difficult to feel adequate in life, they take comfort in things like corporate plaques and awards from their jobs, monetary recognition in the form of raises, and promotions or praise at work. While there is nothing wrong with wanting these things, it is dangerous to allow your identity to become tied up in them, because it can be very damaging if you do not get the recognition that you crave. Here are a few ways you can focus your attention elsewhere, and recognize other sources of joy in your life.
Use A Journal To Keep Track Of Your Daily Thoughts
Writing in a journal is a wonderful way to take stock and keep track of the events and emotions in your life. Journaling can help you to learn about the kinds of things that bother you, the patterns that arise in your emotions, and the things that you place in the highest importance. When you have a written record of these things, you can learn how to recognize what makes you happiest and what stresses you out the most. This can help you to make decisions regarding work and other areas of your life.
Change Your Perspective By Spending Time In Nature
Standing in a forest or next to a lake can make you feel very small, and this can be helpful in gaining perspective. Even if you have not received the recognition you are seeking at work, being in the natural world will remind you that your job is just a tiny corner of a vast universe, and not the all-encompassing world that it can come to seem like on a daily basis.
Lean on Friends and Family
There are many other places where your strengths and talents are displayed, it is not just in the workplace. Your friends and family get to see you in other situations, and they can be very helpful in pointing out these talents and strengths. Often, friends and family members can notice and point out positive qualities in you that you are unaware of, and they are much more likely to point these things out to you than an unappreciative superior at work.
Maintain Physical Wellness
Physical wellness has a huge impact on the way you feel about yourself. When you do not get enough exercise or proper nutrition, it can lead to emotional problems such as depression. However, when you exercise regularly and fuel your body with the nutrients you need, you will feel more powerful and capable to handle things that come your way, at work or anywhere else.
Corporate plaques and awards in the workplace may be nice, and they may help to boost your self image, but they are definitely not enough on their own. This type of confidence boost comes and goes, but if you are able to develop other mechanisms for feeling good about yourself, you can gain a stable confidence that will last, regardless of any outside recognition or lack thereof. It is much better to look for a sense of worth within yourself, and let the outside recognition add to what is already there.
Use A Journal To Keep Track Of Your Daily Thoughts
Writing in a journal is a wonderful way to take stock and keep track of the events and emotions in your life. Journaling can help you to learn about the kinds of things that bother you, the patterns that arise in your emotions, and the things that you place in the highest importance. When you have a written record of these things, you can learn how to recognize what makes you happiest and what stresses you out the most. This can help you to make decisions regarding work and other areas of your life.
Change Your Perspective By Spending Time In Nature
Standing in a forest or next to a lake can make you feel very small, and this can be helpful in gaining perspective. Even if you have not received the recognition you are seeking at work, being in the natural world will remind you that your job is just a tiny corner of a vast universe, and not the all-encompassing world that it can come to seem like on a daily basis.
Lean on Friends and Family
There are many other places where your strengths and talents are displayed, it is not just in the workplace. Your friends and family get to see you in other situations, and they can be very helpful in pointing out these talents and strengths. Often, friends and family members can notice and point out positive qualities in you that you are unaware of, and they are much more likely to point these things out to you than an unappreciative superior at work.
Maintain Physical Wellness
Physical wellness has a huge impact on the way you feel about yourself. When you do not get enough exercise or proper nutrition, it can lead to emotional problems such as depression. However, when you exercise regularly and fuel your body with the nutrients you need, you will feel more powerful and capable to handle things that come your way, at work or anywhere else.
Corporate plaques and awards in the workplace may be nice, and they may help to boost your self image, but they are definitely not enough on their own. This type of confidence boost comes and goes, but if you are able to develop other mechanisms for feeling good about yourself, you can gain a stable confidence that will last, regardless of any outside recognition or lack thereof. It is much better to look for a sense of worth within yourself, and let the outside recognition add to what is already there.