A couple of weeks ago, one of my worst (business) nightmares came true: my website went down, taking my email with it. This wasn’t just a small technical gremlin: my domain had expired, and reminder emails had been sent to an address I no longer had access to. The provider assumed, therefore, that I no longer needed the site, and pulled the metaphorical plug.
I don’t mind telling you, it was a stressful couple of days. But it could have been so much worse. As it was, I had a contingency in place, so was able to contact my clients and associates and let them know how to get in touch with me and keep the business ticking whilst jumping through the necessary hoops to get us back online. Which I call a win.
And it’s vital to bank those wins. I think it’s human nature to dwell on our mistakes and beat ourselves up, whilst diminishing our successes – ‘Oh, it was nothing/ I was just doing my job/ Anyone could’ve done that’, which is such a sad way to live our lives. We need to celebrate our victories!
People who go out there and smash it on a daily basis aren’t beating themselves up over a technical glitch or an oversight that could happen to anyone. If they get knocked over, they pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and crack on. They learn from the big mistakes and they don’t sweat the small stuff. More to the point, they’re kind to themselves.
A lot of us aren’t. We berate ourselves, tell ourselves we’re not working hard enough, that we’re not successful enough, that we could always be doing better. We wouldn’t talk to another person like this (I hope), so why do we do it to ourselves?
This week is Anti-Bullying week in England and Wales. It’s aimed at breaking the cycle of bullying in not only schools, but also the workplace, and for 2021 their theme is ‘One Kind Word’:
“In a world that can sometimes feel like it’s filled with negativity, one kind word can provide a moment of hope. It can be a turning point. It can change someone’s perspective. It can change their day. It can change the course of a conversation and break the cycle of bullying. Best of all, one kind word leads to another. Kindness fuels kindness. So, from the playground to parliament; and from our phones to our homes, together our actions can fire a chain reaction that powers positivity. It starts with one kind word.” [© National Children’s Bureau]
This is a fantastic initiative. Just as it has no place in our schools, bullying has no place at work, whether that’s in a physical office, or a virtual one. Sadly, I’ve experienced toxic behaviour in the past (as have many of my associates), and here at VA Agency we don’t tolerate this behaviour. It’s non-negotiable.
But to my original point, just as we should be kind to others, we should also be kind to ourselves.
We can always find one kind word to use when we talk to ourselves. Just think how much we could achieve by banishing negative self-talk and celebrating our wins!
Until next time!
Stay productive.