Talking with my coach this week, I was reviewing my (very successful) October. She asked me how I celebrated my wins.
When we’re on a mission to change, improve and excel, it’s easy to be tough on ourselves. We cross the latest hard-won win off the list and immediately launch into the next challenge. We want to maintain the momentum.
But constant striving and stretching can leave us with cramp in the brain! When we consistently replace ‘yes, I did it, check me out!’ with ‘ok, buckle up, we must crack on’, we miss the opportunity for a (completely legal and safe) drug induced high. Want some?
When we’re in ‘ok, buckle up, we must crack on’ mode, our brains release the stress hormone cortisol, which helps us deal with challenging situation. This is effective and powerful in moderation, but it’s counterproductive when administered in large doses.
When we allow ourselves a bit of ‘yes, I did it, check me out!’, our brains kick out dopamine. This is the legal high, scored by luxuriating in the afterglow. Dopamine is the reward chemical which makes us feel good, helps us remember better, and encourages us to keep doing whatever we just did.
And it’s a fantastic means of rationalising a day at the spa and a modest Oxford Street shopping expedition. My coach pointed out that while the spa is great, rewarding yourself with something tangible that you can ‘peacock’ about in, is a reward that keeps giving.
Calls to action:
- Rather than crossing tasks off your list, give yourself a smiley face or a gold star.
- High fives and/or skipping around the room and/or standing on a table and/or singing and/or provoking a round of applause also works.
- Try doing something you wouldn’t normally do. Read the paper in the bath, or go for a walk while listening to your favourite album.
- For big wins, or a collection of little ones, a more substantial treat may be in order. Pick something that will be a continual reminder your brilliance. Every time you slip on that new jacket, see that beautiful new notebook, or listen to that CD, you’ll be reminded of how superb you are.
Praise breeds success, reinforces positive beliefs and encourages our brains to work better. Go on, you know you want some.
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