A Sense of Pride
Pride. It’s one of those concepts we refer to with caution because it can describe feelings, attitudes and behaviours that are positive or negative, and often require interpretation by the reader/listener. Consider “he was proud of his achievement” vs. “she was puffed up with pride about her accomplishment.”
These thoughts came to mind recently when the company I work for, WJS Canada, held a celebration in honour of the accomplishments of the people we serve (persons with disabilities) and the achievements of the people who support them (our staff and the staffs of like agencies). It was a wonderful event, and I realized I was proud; proud of the people and families we serve, our staff, our agency, and our accomplishments. I felt pride, and it made me feel good!
On the other hand, when we forget or neglect to celebrate our own actions, achievements and outcomes and those of others, we deny ourselves the satisfaction inherent in our lives and our jobs. Think how much more satisfied and proud—yes, proud! —we’d be if we were shouting our accomplishments from the rooftops. We all like to be recognized for what we do and for the outcomes we achieve in our work groups. I say seize these opportunities to congratulate and be proud of ourselves and those we work or associate with. Take pride in and be proud of what we do. Pride – it has the potential to rock our worlds!
— Lyn Policha, WJS Canada Policy Analyst