Typically, in an employed environment, employees are subject to an annual appraisal. It’s an opportunity to: – review your work, discuss any issues, and recognize your achievements; and hopefully to receive a pay rise.

For the reciprocate, or staff member, it creates a sense acknowledgment, and validation for all the hard work that they’ve done. It affirms a sense of respect within the psyche, and it creates a happy team of personnel. Some companies like certain fast-food chains, are excellent at taking care of their workforce; staff being allowed to relocate across the world, and giving long service, because they feel appreciated, and properly looked after…

Now let’s look at self-appraisal, and all the things you have improved on, during the last twelve months. Whether they are newly instilled good habits, or other achievements’: you need to recognise, and self-reward number one. This is especially important for those of you with a low sense of self-esteem, because you’ve probably disregarded them, due to having a wonky perspective.

Those of us, for instance, who have never known maternal nurturing; tend to quietly just gather – up new accomplishments, and never bother to broadcast them, because no one has ever been interested.

Yet many of us have a distorted view about self-praise, since pastoral care, and mental wellbeing are both fairly new players in the school curriculum. So, unless we’re in our early twenties, then we will remember a far colder environment at most educational establishments.

It is neither conceit nor self – indulgent, to review our positive changes. It is fundamental to our mental wellbeing, and personal development journey.  And remember, to only compare yourself with yourself a year on, nobody else is you, and it’s unhealthy to compare ourselves to other people.

Recently, I’ve become friends with a wonderful young man, who like me has cerebral palsy. He is incredible, working in a special needs school, and I look forward to growing our friendship. But, whilst he has a loving family, I found that he has a distorted perspective about his formidable achievements.’ This is because we humans still feel that self -appraisal is not appropriate, and because he’s in his mid-twenties, so before mental health was rightly -so on the school agenda, and before being kind was recognised, as it is now, in early education.

He felt frustrated that for instance he still lives at home; before I pointed out, that I know many people, far older than him that still do. It is common sense to remain in the family nest, a chance to save money, and good parents wish for their adult children to enjoy the security of homelife, over the choice of an unscrupulous landlord.

There were several areas in his life that he was being unfairly hard on himself about, and yet the fact that he’s good with his finances, and is kind and compassionate -he’d totally disregarded!

As we approach the end of the year, make a purposeful note to set a couple of hours aside to invest in your own self-appraisal. Look at your diary, photos, or devices to help jog your memory, and count all the little achievements;’ they are precious and personal soul nuggets of gold.

For instance, this time last year, I could barely balance on my disabled leg, but now I can, even though I hold onto a wall, I can at least do so. And I’m now about to celebrate a fourth year of eating wholesome food.

Of course, I have many faults but through self-appraisal, and continuous work on conscious awakening; I know what things I need to address, whilst working on my many human foibles.

When we liken self-appraisal to updating a road map; we are laying down, and planning our own guidelines to help support ourselves, and grow in strength in the new year ahead.

Pop yourselves into a group of like-minded souls, and why not celebrate with a home-cooked treat, or if you can afford to, a celebratory dinner.

I hope you find this helpful.

With SUNNY wishes,

Emma xx