I recently posted this question on Facebook and was very shocked at the responses. Many said they had never said it; others said they couldn’t remember the last time; and a few even replied that they felt they had no reason to utter the words. I was saddened as I realized that these responses were probably because people tend to disregard the importance of their own validation, or mistakenly feel that this statement carries with it a feeling of arrogance. So, I comprised a list that includes three reasons why you should be proud of yourself.
1. Growth – Anytime you notice an improvement in your life, you should be proud of yourself. This can include personal, mental/emotional and social habits. If there were issues you noted that you desired to be different, and you achieved that goal, that’s growth. Were you one who used to get angry over every little thing, and now you’re a much calmer person? Did you used to turn in all your assignments late, and now only a couple are not on time? Were you hanging out all the time, not getting anything done and decided to scale back some so you could be more productive? All of these are examples of growth. You don’t have to totally change to before you begin to see improvement. As you notice “the little things”, you should congratulate yourself accordingly.
2. Transformation – When you make a conscious decision to drastically alter your behavior, appearance or way of thinking, and are successful, you should be proud of yourself. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. When you recognize that you’re no longer hanging around the people that used to bring you down; no longer engaging in activities or indulging in behaviors that caused negative outcomes; you have experienced change for the better. And that is a huge accomplishment that you should be proud of.
3. Just Because – Even if you didn’t quite reach your goal, but you tried, you should be proud of yourself. Like Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take”, so the fact that you tried speaks volume to your character. You don’t need a specific reason to be proud of yourself. Your accomplishments don’t have to resemble someone else’s for you to hold yourself in high esteem. Simply because you wake up everyday with a positive mentality that you will try to make this day your best day is reason enough to be proud.
For those who are concerned that speaking over yourself carries a spirit of arrogance, understand that this is an affirmation activity. That means that for the most part, it will never be done in front of anyone other than yourself. This is not about boasting. It is not about bragging on social media how awesome you are. It is about empowering yourself.
So many times, we only feel validated if others pat us on the back or tell us that we’ve done a great job. The fact is that your voice should matter to you; your opinion should count just as much – if not more – as someone else’s. We give so much power to everyone else’s voice that we tend to mute ourselves. However, you are the only person that will be with you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. So, shouldn’t it matter how you value yourself, or better yet, that you value yourself? Instead of waiting for someone else to utter those words of affirmation, say them to yourself, “I’m proud of you”. Not only will it make you feel better, it just may put a smile on your face.
Toneal M. Jackson is a National and International Award-Winning Author; Publisher; and Inspirational Speaker. She is the founder of Artists Promoting Success, an organization that educates indies on the business of being entrepreneurs as well as provides platforms for exposure. She’s also the founder of #ImGladToBeAWoman, an organization that empowers women regardless of age, race, relationship or economic status.
In 2012, CBS Chicago named her one of “5 Indie Authors and Publishers to Watch Out For”. Toneal was inducted into the YWPL in 2016 and POWER (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) in 2018. In 2019, she received the I Change Nations Award for her work in the literary industry. For more, visit her website: www.AWEInspiringCoach.com.
You can find/follow her on all social media platforms @APSNternational