I am really hard on myself. In talking with a good friend the other day, I was complaining about something (that now I can’t even remember what it was) and she yelled at me.
“Stop! Listen to yourself! You have achieved what many people only dream about – you are the author of a great book (The ParentPreneur Edge) that is positively impacting people all over the globe. You built and sold a successful business and you have a great husband and beautiful children…what’s your problem again?”
Julie – pity party of 1, you’re table is now available. I was busted! I encourage my class and clients to celebrate success and here I was, not taking my own advice. She was right – I needed to look at the positive – but why is that so hard sometimes? Through further discussion and another glass of wine, we decided we were both founding members of “The More Club.” It wasn’t that we wanted more money or more things; it’s just that with every accomplishment we had, we continued to raise our artificially-and-personally-imposed bar for what we had to do next. Rather than celebrating our success, we were already moving on to the next hurdle we had to cross sometimes before we’d even finished with the one we were currently jumping over. Why do we do that!?
Out of that discussion, I decided to create a “Woohoo! Journal” The name comes from a tradition we do in our family called “The Family Woohoo.” Whenever we are out as a family having a good time, any one of us can call a Family Woohoo and we all put our hands up in the air and say “WOOHOO!” Just TRY frowning after doing that…it’s pretty freeing!
The idea that I am working with for the book is that it is going to be a small, blank notebook that will fit in my purse and in it I will write anything good that happens. Big or small – it doesn’t matter. I won’t write my to-do list or items I need to shop for, just accomplishments and positive things that happen in my life. Next time I’m wallowing in self pity, I’ll open the book and remind myself what a wonderful life it really is. So what do you think of our initial sketch of a logo (on the left)?
What about you – are you a member of the More Club, too? How do you celebrate your accomplishments?
January 16th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I am definitely a member of The More Club. I always want more and more success and tend not to see some of my successes as successes. I am consciously shifting that energy because it doesn’t serve me. I think your idea of a WooHoo journal is a great idea and it will help people shift their energy to something more positive - rather than staying in catabolic energy. I like the logo, but I really like the name! Great idea and great newsletter!