Happiness is Seeing Your Goodness
My friend was telling me about his new clients and all the new work that was coming his way. Given that he lives in one of the regions of the country hardest hit by the current economic downturn, his tale was a story of remarkable success. As he shared how his business was unfolding, I began to notice a theme running through everything he said. And that thread is the secret behind his success.
He talked, you see, about each client’s special strengths and talents. He saw what was unique and good in each and he was thrilled at having the opportunity to help all of them showcase what they did best.
It’s this positive viewpoint of his that draws clients to him. He sees the best in them, and they, in turn, see him the same way. Seeing the best in them motivates him to serve them well. The good service they receive motivates them to see him as the top notch performer he is and to spread the word. It’s a beautiful feedback loop of positive regard.
For me, my friend’s conversation was a perfect illustration of the seventh lesson we can learn from our best friends about how to treat ourselves. True friends—and this man quickly becomes a genuine friend to his clients—speak well of us to others. They broadcast the positive things about us; they see what’s good and beautiful in us, and enjoying it, they share it with others.
If you’re going to be your own best friend, learning to sing your own praises to yourself is a definite requirement. You owe it to yourself to pat yourself on the back for the things you do well, to congratulate yourself for your achievements, to recognize and acknowledge where you are succeeding, where you are growing, where you are following your higher impulses and intuitions and moving toward your goals.
Not only does it feel good, but it reinforces all the behaviors you most enjoy and that keep you thriving and bring you joy. People who succeed in life, and who pull from it the greatest measure of happiness, take stock of their positive achievements on a regular basis. They appreciate themselves and thank and reward themselves. Speak well of yourself to you. It’s another way of being your own best friend.
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