Celebrating Your Achievements

.
The Dutch culture that I grew up in, is one that has a dualistic attitude toward the celebration of your achievements.

When the Dutch soccer team became second in the World Championship they were honored with a grand party! They were praised by the prime minister, and had a meeting and a photo-op with the Queen. After that, their achievement was celebrated on a grand scale, with a canalboat ride through the canals of Amsterdam and a presentation on stage...

In many other instances, especially when the achievement is a personal one, the celebration of the achievement is often viewed as ‘tooting your own horn’ and as such it is something that is ‘not done’.

It is the downside of the very practical perspective on life the Dutch culture has.
Doing something really good is nothing to be celebrated, it is just you doing your job. And for that, not only do you not deserve any extra attention ~ standing out like that pretty much guarantees a lot of criticism coming your way.
Just as the Dutch saying goes: ‘Tall trees catch a lot of wind.’

Although this is understandable from an historic point of view ~ between the value put on commerce where ‘the customer is always right’ and Calvinism that has left its mark ~ it can well set one up to only value one self through others.
The job is well-done, not because you think so (or know so) yourself, but because someone else tells you it is. You are a good person, because you are doing what you think other want you to be doing...

And there is the problem!

In that line of thought we not only are not doing the things we want to be doing ~ we are not expressing uniqueness and our own potential ~ we can never do whatever it is we are doing well enough as we need that validation from others; and it is impossible to please everyone!

In the energy of this point in time, it is certainly an outdated perspective. One that deserves a re-evaluation as to how that works in our lives at least!

In the energy of today it is so very important to be who you are and to express that in your own way ~ through your own interests, potential, and ability. It doesn’t matter as much what you do or how you express yourself, as long as it is truly yours...
It does matter, however, that you feel good doing it!
That you refuse to let feelings of guilt hinder the expression of your Self.

And that you give yourself a pat on the back for doing it!
That you celebrate your achievements.
.
.