When I read Ariel Lopez’s tweet this morning, I nodded my head in agreement.
Someone congratulated me recently and I started to deflect after I said thank you.
They said “I’m gonna give you your flowers, you can water them or not” and it stuck with me. We often don’t appreciate our current wins because we’re anticipating what’s next
Water your flowers.
— Ariel Lopez (@ArielLopez__) October 11, 2020
In my mind, I could easily imagine watering flowers in my garden.
My Own Experience
I’m as guilty as the next person who receives congratulations for something I’ve accomplished, only to swiftly shut it down.
Instead of accepting the compliment, I push away praise with a criticism about my work.
Which is insulting to the person who gives the compliment.
It’s something I’ve done ever since I was young, it was an instinct for me all through grade school and my first three years of college.
Until a friend pointed out to me I was discounting what I had accomplished.
Now I say, “thank you” and sometimes add a comment that I’m glad they like it.
Have to admit, while I’ve been working on accepting praise and compliments for my work and projects, it’s hard to break old habits.
I’m doing my best to be more graceful with accepting praise, but I need reminders like Lopez’s to water my flowers.
