Giving Yourself Credit for What You Have Gotten Done Today

At the end of the day, what do you typically do? Go over all
the things that remain on your to dolist? This is what most people do. It is a depressing and self-defeating habit. It’s effective only in putting together a list of what needs to be accomplished tomorrow. After making your list, put it away, mentally and physically, until the sun rises again.

Women are especially hard on themselves. What would the end
of your day feel like if you reversed this? What if you chose to go over all
the things you got done? I bet you would feel better about yourself and sleep more soundly.

Here’s the simple experiment: At the end of today, just
before you go to sleep, take a few moments to review all the things you
accomplished today. Include all the obvious things: work, caring for children, household chores, and self-care. Really detail all the things you got done at work today. If you are a stay-at-home Mom or Dad, your list is really long. Make sure you give yourself credit for doing the most important job in your life, raising your child.

Now, go over the less obvious things you completed: brushing
your teeth, preparing food, eating, getting dressed, washing your hair,
showering, exercising, sticking with your diet, making healthy food choices,
avoiding a high-fat snack, parking away from the mall and walking a greater
distance, talking to a friend in need, fixing dinner for your family, washing
clothes, running errands, making someone feel special, etc. The list is
endless. Find all the ways you can give yourself credit.

Practice this for a few days.

Next, start giving yourself a few moments throughout the day
to notice all you’ve gotten done today. I have a watch that has an alarm that I
can set to beep once on the hour. When it beeps, it reminds me to take a deep
breath and review all that I’ve accomplished in the last hour. This is a simple
yet amazingly effective tool for getting even more done in a day and feeling
better about myself hour after hour.

Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for making this
simple, yet effective shift in your thinking. Congratulations. You’ve made a
positive change in your life.

Barbara Kramen-Kahn, Ph.D can be reached at barbara@truckeehealthychocolate.com