Fur:

Same

I am also competative. I think the best thing to do is to compliment others more often. Small things like that mean a lot to people. I think you would get a lot of the same treatment going your way. It will also make things much more comfortable and relaxed at work. "Just an idea"  

aqua13:

thank you

thank you to fur and carpenter for their thoughts - I knew that if I was honest with this challenge I was facing, I'd find excellent advice and support.

You are both dead on; it's about acknowledging others. This is something I will start on at work, starting right now.

thank you

melody33:

Just a thought...

I started a gratitude journal just before I started tools.  I try to put something down each day, and sometimes I put down things that other people have said to me.  For example, I worked really hard on getting caught up on some of my work one day and I was telling a coworker how much progress I made on a project I had been putting off.  She came back a few days later and said I had inspired her to tackle a project she had been putting off, and she had found a significant cost savings in the process.  So, I journaled that day that I was grateful for the coworker telling me I had inspired her.  Sometimes it's more vain (Grateful coworker noticed new shoes and complimented), but it's things that make me feel better about myself.  It's a lot easier to remember the things that hurt our feelings than the things that make us feel good, it seems, so I put those good things in writing!  I know that may not directly help, but as a fellow overly-sensitive, competitive person, I can say it helped me at least gain some self-confidence.