Although it was only 6pm local time, for those of us coming in from Heathrow, it was 1am. Body clocks confused, bodies cramped from being too tight and too close for too long, everyone just wanted to get through the Customs line-up, have our passports stamped and get somewhere we could stretch out and put our heads down. The toddler in her stroller beside us in the snaking queue expressed it perfectly when she went from slightly dazed to full on tears. The woman in front of me turned and with a resigned smile said to me “I think we all feel that way!” The child’s mom was brilliant. Also tired, she could have admonished the little gal to “stop crying and be quiet”, but instead she leaned over, stroked the child’s brow, and congratulated her daughter on how well she had done on the flight. The child immediately burst into a smile and regained her calm. A small amount of recognition goes a long way!

Most of us are now too old for our moms to give us the recognition we need to stay centered in ourselves regardless of circumstances, and when we are tired, hungry and a bit too “peopled-out” we often forget to congratulate ourselves on how well we’ve done. However, just like the toddler, a small amount of recognition goes a long way. Back to the dictionary… Recognition – to know again, to know as before. To acknowledge genuineness or character.

• I forgive myself for believing I can keep going without any recognition from myself.
• I give myself permission to consciously practice recognizing and strengthening who I really am. I did really well on that trip!
• Like that young mom, I choose to recognize my strengths and reconnect with who I really am rather than focus on the challenges.
• I am free to recognize myself and be grateful for who I really am!
• I know what it feels like to recognize the goodness in others – and I practice giving myself this same gift as an act of Thanksgiving!
• I am consciously practicing giving thanks to myself and recognizing and developing my strengths!

 

Rather than admonishing the child within for “acting out”, try digging just a little deeper and find some gratitude for yourself for all the good you do. What we focus on expands, and THAT is worth expanding every day – not just on Thanksgiving!

Namaste,

Suze