Dopamine & Cortizone - Relying on Praise and Criticsism

I was brought up in the world of scratch'n'sniff stickers, smiley face stamps & pats on the back at school.

It was good.
The game was easy.

Work hard and you get a sticker on your work!
Comply and get a pat on the back.
Work within the boundaries and we'll let you stretch them a little bit so that you have a sense of freedom.

But now, I'm in a different game.
A different strategy is required.

When you receive the compliments, just like a LIKE from Facebook, or a VOTE in STEEM, you get a little buzz.
We know that the Google's and Facebooks love to play off this Dompamine release that our brains give ourselves.
It feels good.
Is it real? Nope. And it's probably not deserved and appreciated.
Too much of anything can't be good for anyone.

The need to be praised is a dangerous slippery slope.
When you are soaring, getting the compliments, then you are probably not really all that challenged.
It might be too easy.
You're scoring Touchdowns without any real opposition.

But the downer is with criticism, the spillage of Cortizone, which can be good, in short bursts.
If the down feeling continues, you can cause more harm than good.
You can make your body weak and prone to sickness.
You become tired, cannot think clearly and seem to attract a negative flow.

+

The time to wake up and smell the Sunflowers.

Take a deep breath.

I am me.
Me is good.

Stop beating yourself up.
You are critical enough.
Isn't this a good place to be for now.
If not, then why settle?

There's a world to explore.