There are so many ways to appreciate the work we’ve done or events we are experiencing.

The work we’ve done can, for example, be useful, satisfying or pleasing. Depending on our choice it means that we are addressing the need related to our experience. In addressing others we’ll usually be connecting with different groups of people. Our respective preferences are reflected in such a choice.

Transactional Analysis describes this difference through the idea of three different ego states which relate – among others – to a different language use.

Seen in this light, we might notice when and how we switch between our language of values, language of logic and language of emotions. Depending on the situation and our preferences we’ll be using one or the other.

Taking the trio of satisfying, useful and pleasing we’ll discover that tasks we’ve accomplished often fulfill all three of them to some degree. Depending on our appreciation we’ll still give it one of the three “labels” according to our preferences.

Satisfying work will usually be one that makes us feel proud because it is work which has been right, which is important and professional.

Useful work will most often solve a problem or help us to make things better or more organized. It’s work that helps more than anything else. And who says that we can’t be proud of having helped?

When work pleases us, then it’s more our emotions and feelings telling us that we’ve done a job we like. And yes it might also make us feel proud to have done work that touches people or that we feel touched by.

It tells us how we’ve connected.