Have you ever been so excited about accomplishing something that you wanted to let the whole world know, YOU DID IT! But you didn’t because it felt awkward and you didn’t want to appear to be arrogant or maybe you thought they wouldn’t think your accomplishment was praiseworthy? I know I have and I am sure many of you have as well. Why is it hard for us to acknowledge, share and celebrate ourselves, our successes, and our milestones?
As I’ve pondered on this, I have reflected on an acceptance speech that went viral back in 2018. Hollywood honored the famous rapper Snoop Dogg with a Hollywood star. The criteria for receiving a Hollywood star is not easy and can be rigorous and sometimes require a nomination year after year before it is even considered. If you have not listened to Snoop Dogg’s acceptance speech, I encourage you to do so. Snoop Dogg began his speech by thanking all those who believed in him, his mentors, his family, and those that challenged him. He then proceeded to thank himself. He stated “Last but not least, I wanna thank me, I wanna thank me for believing in me, I wanna thank me for doing all this hard work, I wanna thank me for having no days off, I wanna thank me for never quitting. I want to thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive. I want to thank me for trying to do more right than wrong. I want to thank me for just being me at all times…”
What a powerful self-manifestation. We all have mentors, family members, and friends who have helped us get to where we are, but YOU, you have done all the work. How often can we say that we’ve praised ourselves or taken time to acknowledge our own hard work? How often have we shared our accomplishments with our friends, coworkers or loved ones? Sharing isn’t only about receiving the praise; it’s much more than that. When we share our accomplishments, we are sharing our story. Our stories can empower, inspire, and encourage others to continue their journey and to believe that they too can attain their goals. Sharing can also create networking opportunities. It’s possible that someone in the audience or in your circle wants to reach the same goal or they’ve already experienced what you’re currently going through and can offer some advice. It’s important for you to be self-aware of your progress, your abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Having self-awareness helps us become more confident and helps motivate us. Take time to think about what you’ve done to get to where you are today, celebrate your milestones, and think about what’s led you to fail or succeed.
I will end by sharing one of my most recent achievements. This month will be a year since we brought my sweet baby girl into this world. No other accomplishment has brought me so much joy to date. I decided to continue working after having her; juggling mom, wife and manager life has been a challenge, but I have managed it like a champ. Adding this new title to my life has taught me so much about myself. Over the last year, I’ve developed new skills that have helped me become a better mother, wife, employee, and manager. At our next Business Women’s Forum event, I encourage you to raise your hand and share your accomplishments. I promise that we will cheer you on and that it will feel so good!
About the Author
Cristine Salazar was born in California and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Utah. Besides owning 2 businesses of her own, she also has 13 years of experience in the financial industry. Cristine is currently a Market Branch Manager for America First Credit Union. She is highly involved in the community and volunteers for her church. She continually strives to leave a positive influence on those around her whether it is in her professional or personal surroundings. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter especially going outdoors, trying new foods, and traveling.
