Ta DAH! (Tumbleweed)

Do you ever feel like this? As if the work you did is not only not understood but completely ignored?  It can be the little things like new hair or making the effort to clean the kitchen without being asked or it can be a big thing like Christmas, that leaves you feeling under appreciated and as if there is no point to what you have done.  So maybe your motivation is coming from the wrong place?  Or certainly your sense of accomplishment is.  Don't get me wrong I expect a round of applause for washing a cup and if I could just get the cat to co-operate my life would greatly improve.  We all do it, we look to others to tell us, we've done well or that they are impressed, when they don't do this.  It seems, we fall into 2 camps those that wonder what they haven't done and those that wonder why the people we love are so ungrateful.

I wonder if it is actually secret option 3, that those that love us aren't surprised by what we achieve as they have no idea that we actually make an effort.  As we make these things look easy, they genuinely believe they are.  Not to mention the fact, I suspect, that every time a visitor says "This is great", "God, you worked hard", "how did you get this done" you turn round and say the sentence that dooms you to having to repeat it always, "What this?  It was really no effort at all."  Well I know it was and actually it is ok, to say so, it will not diminish your accomplishment to admit that you had to work to achieve it.  It also won't diminish you to ask for help when there is a lot to do.  Sharing some of the strain will put you in a better place to enjoy the result.

When it comes to the smaller things if you aren't getting the result you expected, maybe its time to wonder if your method needs a little attention.  As a general rule people don't notice if things are right unless they are exceptional, there is an old saying in retail, the general public will tell 2 people about great service and 20 about bad service.  Think about it when you are wronged you will tell everyone as it plays on your mind, but when something is right you smile and move on with your day.

So the next time your family or friends don't gush over the changes you have made, take a moment to smile and accept the fact, you got everything exactly right.