I became a mother four years ago and it was nothing like I imagined it would be. It was a hundred times better. Ever since my daughter was born, each day has brought some new and exciting adventure. I never realized that each day would be more rewarding than the next.

My daughter and I love our daily routines. We would be lost without them. In the morning my daughter has different jobs she is in charge of getting done before we leave for school. Some of her chores include  feeding the dogs and making the bed. I love the smile she gets on her face when she comes looking for me to tell me that she fed Skye and Daisy or when she takes my hand,  pulls me into her room, and yells “ta da!” I smile, (and laugh) hug her and tell her “Great job! Awesome! Way to Go! High Five!” Her reward is choosing her favorite Disney character sticker as her “gold star” that she places on her daily responsibility chart. What better way to get a child motivated than with a Disney gold star! All the passion she has for getting her chores done, and the emotion she feels knowing how proud I am of her, is similar to the recognition I feel at work for a job well done.

We start teaching our children at an early age that going the extra mile will pay off. I didn’t realize that when I became a mother I would set up my own recognition program at home!

Recently, I was awarded Teammate of the Year by my colleagues. And my passion for my work (just like my daughter’s) comes from knowing that someone appreciates the effort I put in to something. It drives me to keep going and do it better the next time. I put in that extra mile every day at work, and I personally get excited or have a smile on my face when I receive an eCard from a colleague for a job well done.

Here at Dittman Incentive Marketing, I make sure that all marketing and communication projects are completed correctly and out the door on time. My colleagues here know that they can count on me to give it my all. I get that same smile I see on my daughter when I know someone appreciates that I went above and beyond to ensure something I worked on was not just good but great.

I was overwhelmed and happy to be awarded Teammate of the Year (my own gold star). It pushes me to go higher than before for my own gratification and sense of accomplishment, and for the benefit of my colleagues as well.