Bathed in applause
Where in your life could you do with
more applause?
It’s a powerful substance:
clapping, appreciation, cherishing.
We all need to be held dear somewhere,
to be celebrated.
Bathed in applause
True story: my son was hesitant to hit Post on his first-born animated clip, all his own visuals and self-produced audio.
He showed it to me glowing with pride.
But imagining it ‘out there’ made him pause.
I invite him to probe inside to bring to light his reservations.
His first answer: critical responses from the world.
Then, ‘No, that’s not it.’
He knows only trusted people have access to the profile he’s set up to showcase his creations.
He feels confident these select few will be supportive.
His brow furrowed, he can’t quite get at what else might be causing him to hesitate.
I offer him a hypothesis: not enough applause.
His eyes go from surprise to recognition: ‘Yes! That’s it!’
‘Why is that a thing, Mum?’
'Do you know the phrase “to damn with faint praise”?'
‘Nope.’
'It captures the effect of lukewarm celebration: not enough to reach the right places.'
'Now instead imagine applause rolling in, in buckets and to spare.'
He grins.
That tells us we’re on the right track.
'Okay, now we know what the missing ingredient was, what would you like to do about it?'
Within hours, his imagination supplies him with enough praise fuel to release his creation into the world.
I know that he now needs to experience enough applause from his world IRL.
Of course, as Mum, I don’t intend to leave these things to chance.
I play impresario: I send the link to everyone I can think of with the request that they actively send in praise.
I check in with my son: how is it going?
He’s brimming with the boost of enthusiasm from his social world.
Success!
It sets him up to go again: the crucial part.
Sometimes, we’re ready in every way apart from this: knowing how we will revel and bask in the sunshine of our win.
When you triumph over your current challenge or adversity, how will you celebrate?
Not sure what comes next?
Sometimes the first step is just saying this matters.
A Nesting Call is a gentle conversation to meet you where you are — no fixing, no rushing, just deep listening and space to notice what wants to unfold.
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