A Month of Gratitude, Day 4
What brings me gratitude? This month, I’m sharing a daily gratitude journal to help me through my annual seasonal depression.
As I pen my fourth entry, I am reminded of how hard it is for me to accept a compliment. Back in seventh grade at Collierville Middle School in Collierville, Tennessee, I was a shy 12-year-old who excelled at math, English, and social studies. I excelled so well in math that my teacher placed me in Algebra I for eighth grade. So, why I am sharing this story? Well…apparently I told a few (too many) of my classmates about how I was being accelerated out of “regular” math to Algebra.
That led to a phone call from my teacher to my parents.
Apparently, I was too braggadocious which as a middle school kid can come off as sounding like a pompous ass. I feel fairly confident that I was being a pompous ass. But, from that day forward, I have tried to be humble as I could in my successes, but I also overcorrected to the other side of the scale. It became damn near impossible for me to accept a compliment.
It sounds silly or maybe even somewhat ridiculous, but that moment some 25 years ago is what rewired my brain to do. I have made progress in accepting compliments. I almost feel uncomfortable when someone gives me a compliment in front of others, but I am starting to say “Thank You” and accept it. I still may not believe what is said about me, but I still must learn to accept when a compliment comes my way.
So, yes… I am grateful for some random moment from seventh grade for what it has done for me. I still think about that moment as a way to keep me grounded.
What are you thankful for this year?
GRATITUDE JOURNAL ENTRIES
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