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A Little Horn Tooting Is Required…personal

If you fail to validate yourself, not too many people are going to be bothered to do it for you.

So, if you are waiting on other’s to do it for you, your disappointment will come in huge spades. Everyone else is busy trying to get on with their fabulous lives and you will surely be left in the dust with your esteem shredded and battered.

We have a saying that goes’ the Agama Lizard fell from the palm tree and landed on his feet. He looked around, but no one applauded him, so he gave himself a good nod and a praise.

To appreciate and show yourself some love is not being, arrogant or proud. It is knowing who you are. Embracing and owning yourself. If you fail to be able to acknowledge your good sides, or those things that you’ve done well in, then how sincere is your appreciation of that which is done by another?

A lot of people feel embarrassed when complimented or commended and I wonder if at the back of their minds whether they only hope for criticisms and put-downs? Putting ourselves down and short-changing ourselves does not make us a better person, it actually makes us appear unsure of ourselves.

Please note, that there is a huge difference between having a modest sense of humour by being self-deprecating from undermining your good qualities in order to appear humble. It may not serve you well.

I have always said to myself, if you’ve earned it, Jacqueline, wear it with grace and joy. Appreciating yourself is not conceit.

Sometimes, I am my own worst critic especially when it comes to achieving set targets. I can cut the slack for others, but not as much for myself, then again, I find it very easy to laugh at myself.

However, I never fail to recognize some sides of me that has served me well over the years.  I try to do everything with my whole heart. Loving with all I can love with. Executing any responsibility to the best of my ability. I always come in the first three when it comes to Team lead/player in my work place. I am a very dedicated and focused person with a good sense of responsibility and I believe in getting it done.

I get on easily with people and over the years I find myself growing more and more tolerant of people’s shortcomings. I don’t take offence easily.

Above all of this, I honestly value my sense of peace, stable mind and contentment. I have no idea how it all started, though I strongly suspect that my upbringing as well as my spiritual growth has a hand in this.

I hardly ever catch myself wanting material things that I cannot afford. They simply don’t move me. I am very, very thrifty, but not cheap.

I would rather work hard, save and get the best that I can, rather than a cheapskate that will break the next day. It’s almost tough to make me covet my neighbours goods with a jealous gleam in my eyes.

You can trust me with a Million dollars and not a dot will be found missing.

Yes! I said it and you can take it to the bank. I have integrity!

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post prompt Toot your horn.

Most of us are excellent at being self-deprecating, and are not so good at the opposite. Tell us your favorite thing about yourself.

27 thoughts on “A Little Horn Tooting Is Required…personal

  1. I agree with the above comment! “Wear it with grace and joy!” Love that! I am adding that to my wall at work! I agree laughing at yourself is important! I think I laugh more at me, then the other stuff going on around me. When you can laugh at yourself, everything else seems to fall into place.

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  2. The Master story teller gave me a gift for telling stories. I started telling stories since I was a little girl. Perhaps the best on I’ve ever written is the most recent, The Church Girl. Do check it out on my blog 🙂

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  3. Hi Jackie,

    Self-validation is so important, one should always give themselves a pat on the back, it boosts self-esteem.

    Your reference to the agama lizard made me laugh, so that is why the lizard nods so often. XD

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    1. Yes indeed. That’s why it nods o. It’s really important to validate oneself. I featured your post last night and this morning . Not sure if it’s caught on yet, but we will keep the cycle going. Thanks love 🙂

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  4. Being an introvert, I don’t toot my own horn very often but when I do it is certainly most deserving!! You’re right, we should definitely appreciate ourselves, efforts and accomplishments more!

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  5. Great post Jacqueline 😊

    I think my best quality is trying to always see the “glass half full” I use humour in my day and can usually pick myself up in this way.

    In my darkest moment – when I lost my mom – I still laughed by remembering her funny ways x

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  6. I remember when I was a little girl my mom use to tell me, ‘if no one will praise you, then you need to praise yourself’. If you do it with grace & joy then you should own your success. I find that it is alot harder for women to praise their accomplishments than men. Not always, but we need to ‘toot our own horn’ more as women. Way to go girl!!

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  7. I have the tendency to have to learn the hard way, but I learn my lessons well. I don’t know how others seem to make the same mistakes over and over again, especially the painful ones! I use my stubbornness as an asset and I am a hard worker who is very organized! I LOVE the appreciation my customers show me. It’s truly touching!

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I love it when you decorate my heart with your words..