In India, those of us who were born between the 1950s and 1960s were supervised by our parents and other adults to make sure that we are doing our best to study as good as we can. Working adults were told by other working adults to do their best to make sure that they don't make any mistakes at work so they don't lose their jobs. We were also told that since India has become an independent country we need to improve our standards and we have no excuse not to do good. So those of us who could not make it in India left India for different reasons. That was well and good. The thing that bothered me a lot about our upbringing was the logic of not letting anyone talk good about themselves. Adults believed that if we talk good about ourselves it is bragging and bragging will make us big-headed and also lazy. I don't believe in bragging but I do believe in believing in myself and finding out about my good side and at the same time finding out where I can improve.
Now that I am a grandmother, I would want to stop the notion that thinking good things about oneself is going to make them lazy. If one gets ninety percent in a subject instead of hundred, one should not have to feel bad, just try better next time. Same thing at work, if you know that you have done your best and the company still picks you to be the one to let go (because they are down sizing), you should not ask yourself what did I do wrong?
This Valentine's Day along with writing words to let someone know how much you like them ,why not write yourself a note about the wonderful qualities you have.
