Be Proud

Pride is one of those loaded words to me. Whenever I discuss with a client self pride, a shadow of horror usually casts across their face. I know what they're thinking. They are remembering the cocky kids in high school. They are remembering the stories at church about how pride is a sin. They also might be feeling guilty, inadequate, or ashamed for feeling any sort of self pride at all. So, I want to break something down for all of us that I've learned over the years. It's a way to talk about self pride- a healthy way to express true self esteem and confidence- and being very clear we aren't talking about selfish pride- which comes from a low self esteem and a need to brag, boast, or cause harm to feel powerful. Self pride is necessary for a few reasons: 1. We may not be receiving the well deserved acknowledgment from our hard work and efforts leaving us feeling dry, unappreciated, and forgotten. Those feelings create resentment and can lead us to work less or stop caring about our life. When we give ourselves a pat on the back, and feel a pride in what we are doing, we tend to work better and have a joyful experience in our accomplishments. 2. A healthy self esteem requires that we recognize how far we have come, and all that we are overcoming. Developing a sense of pride in who you are helps you to feel worthy to have a deep and personal relationship to God and the angels. It is easy to accept their love and feel their pride for us when we already feel good about ourselves.  3. It will be hard to appreciate others and be proud of them when we don't know  how to do it for ourselves. This can really hurt relationships- especially ones between parent and child, where our children thrive in our praise and acknowledgment. Never worry that you are giving anyone a "big head" or that you could ever push them into being conceded. Remember that selfish pride comes from not feeling good enough. When we lift others up around us- we give them permission to relax, they won't have to prove themselves anymore, and we can all share the pride in our accomplishments together.  Enjoy today's meditation. I have a feeling that you deserve some much needed appreciation. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back! Then go out there and appreciate the world! To View Today's Monday Meditation, Be Proud, Click Here.