praise

I praise loudly, I blame softly”....Catherine The Great

in my groups this week, we have been reviewing giving and receiving praise. this is a tool that i have learned to use to moderate my own moods. if i can give praise to another with no expectation of anything in return, i find myself feeling much better. this is a huge and effortless gift to myself.

if i can receive some praise and resist the temptation to brush it off, but instead take it in and let the feelgood that accompanies this praise permeate my being, i again will find my mood lifted and my perspective shifted.

not uncommonly, the group spent the sessions giving praise to each other. the visible shift in each group and in individuals was remarkable. this chapter is one of my favorites in the curriculum. this feelgood affected each of the groupmembers and is something they took away with them.

i remember this week watching the oscars and the announcements of nominations for the best actor/actress and supporting actor/supporting actress awards being conducted by previous recipients of those acknowledgements. each nominee was graced with praise by a colleague peer commending their work and offering accolades. there was a similar visible shift in each of these nominees as they sat and took in the feelgood offered by their predecessors. watching this shift affected me accordingly as well.

i felt fantastic this week involved in this giving and receiving praise. i think i'll try to make a mental note to do this again...

today's sound choice is "praise you" by fatboy slim...