better business blog

Tips and stories to add value to you and your organisation

Self Stroking

28 June 2015

We rush. We work. We strive. We keep going.

So then, when do we pause and give ourselves a bit of credit for our labours? When do we take a moment to reflect on how great we are, how diligent, how successful?

Striving without reflection is a prison without bars. We become trapped on the upward hike and are unable to enjoy the beauty of life. We can lose our sense of perspective and trade happiness for a car with executive level cup holders. We sweat the small stuff!

A ‘stroke’ in Transactional Analysis terms is a unit of recognition and can be either positve or negative. What we stroke develops, so if we take a time out for ourselves then we develop in a healthy way.

In my experience many business people fail to stroke themselves enough, in a positve way. They only talk about the ‘tough stuff’ and don’t share their successes and bits of clever thinking.

When did you last give yourself an A* for being lovely? 

When did you write your ‘end of term’ report and garnish it with happy superlatives?

Excellent! Wonderful! Amazing! Talented! Valuable!

We are all of these things and more.

Our task this week is to choose a superlative for ourselves. What is one word that we can enjoy stroking our self with? Which one do you choose for you?

Feel free to email me and share your greatness!

Have fun!

Next week: Celebrate!