Somebody gave me an award! In my entire life, I have only ever received one award: in 2000，I was named Most Helpful by my university drama society.
This time, however, I won an actual award! Admittedly, there was no big awards ceremony. just an email and a social media post. But, nevertheless, it's given me a glow of pride. Somebody acknowledged my achievements!
The problem is that society seems to favor youth. There are a million '30 under 30'lists which I was never on, and yet it was only last year that the magazine Forbes launched its '50 over 50'list. But while I don't want to take those awards away from the kids, I know if someone had declared me an 'up-and-coming'anything at 30，I'd have been as terrified as I was delighted; so much to live up to. Now, however, I am grabbing that award and shouting: "At last, the recognition I deserve!"，because I know how much work I've put in, and I'm not about to let anyone lessen that.
If I was to list the advantages of getting older, then the ability to recognize my accomplishments and to be proud of them would be at the very top. Heard too many times, it's boring to say that we women put ourselves down, but too often we push away praise, rather than taking it up like the cat who got the cream. For most of us, praise is not a daily gift. So, when it comes, we need to allow ourselves to receive it. And if no one else is giving it to us, we need to give it to ourselves.
It works the other way, too. My new favourite hobby is writing emails to the head offices of restaurants and shops, to tell them how lovely their staff are. It makes me feel good, and I hope it does them, too.
A friend once told me about a self-development course she'd been on where participants had to shout 'I apprise of my decision!'，and then high-five themselves. I put this ritual into my daily life. Now, I am done. And, then, I'm writing myself an email of praise. Because, like that award, I deserve it.
