Teri Burgos-Gutierrez, Corporate Trainer

Teri, a wife to a dentist, and mother to 3 adolescent sons, trains professionals and writes textbooks in Speech. She can be reached at gutierrez_teri@yahoo.com

CELEBRATE YOUR WORK ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Teri Burgos-Gutierrez

“One never notices what has been done;
one can only see what remains to be done.”
Marie Curie

At this time and age, everything seems to be moving so fast. One hardly feels the passing of day because of the endless tasks we need to attend to – professionally, personally, and socially. The hands of the clock moves too fast and one never realizes how time flies! I said last month that traveling can help de-stress us at work. While it recharges our energy level, traveling also hones leadership potentials, develops self-confidence, and increases one’s awareness and learning processes.

In the workplace, life can get so hectic, toxic, and mind-boggling that at the end of each and every day, one may lose sight of the many tasks, actions, and decisions, and thoughts that have been accomplished. Even if you succeeded in a string of significant activities, the complexities the day brings can steal your awareness of what has been done, making you simply dwell on what should have or have not been done.

Here are a few reasons why it is important to recognize what you have accomplished:

1. Self-esteem – tapping one’s shoulders for a job well done boosts one’s self-esteem. It gives a feeling of significance, importance, and self-worth.
2. Confidence – being happy for one’s laurels increases the level of confidence among people. It makes them feel good inside and out.
3. Assertiveness – sharing one’s thoughts with others makes a person feel positive with his working relationships with others.
4. Encouragement – thriving on encouragement is a basic human need. Children love to be praised with even the small things they have done. They respond and react approvingly when they are praised for something they did. In the busy marketplace we all live in, our co-workers may not take notice of our accomplishments. This is not the end of the line. Thus, we need to acknowledge ourselves and celebrate!
5. Celebration – looking ahead for more accomplishments to celebrate surpasses all negative emotions and empowers everyone to live life to the fullest.

Looking back and reflecting on what has been accomplished not only inspires when things are going well but encourages when things are not. To have a solid grasp of what you have done in the past gives light to go through the hard times, as well as the inspiration to get through each trial, difficulty, and challenge.

Accomplishments may vary in form. It may not only be a promotion at work, an increase in sales, purchase of a new house or acquisition of the latest car in the market today! It may simply mean lending a helping hand to anyone in need, giving a shoulder to cry on, listening to someone in distress, assisting to resolve a conflict, or simply enjoying coffee break with a friend.

Whenever and however you see that you have a remarkable accomplishment to your own self or to others, remember it. Thank and congratulate yourself! You deserve to be recognized for a job well done! As Louise L. Hay has written, “It is such a wonderful feeling to be thankful. It prepares and opens the way for more good to come into our lives. “