Discernment in a Loud World: Choosing What’s Truly Yours
How I started practicing discernment in a world full of noise, choosing what’s mine. Letting go of what isn’t.
Are You Proud Of Yourself?
In a world where we constantly chase achievements, it's easy to overlook our progress. This post challenges you to pause, reflect, and appreciate your journey. Discover why acknowledging your small wins and growth is essential for your self-esteem, motivation, and overall happiness.
We’re quick to point out where we’re behind and slow to notice how far we’ve come.
Are you proud of yourself?
I’ll go first: there were seasons I wasn’t. I measured my life by everyone else’s timeline and shrank my own joy. Naming that was the first step back to myself. Here’s what I’ve learned since proud ≠ done. You can be proud and still be growing.
Many of us say “no” to that question because we’re not where we hoped we’d be professionally, mentally, socially, or spiritually. But is that a fair read of your whole journey? Pause and rewind to when you first stepped into adulthood. What did you carry then that you no longer carry now? What once felt impossible that now fits in your everyday? Think of the first time you paid a bill on time when money was tight. The day you said “no” and protected your peace. The morning you got out of bed on a heavy day and still showed up. None of that is flashy, but it’s growth. Proud ≠ done.
Ask yourself:
- Are you more independent than you used to be?
- Are you studying, learning a skill, or staying curious?
- Do you have a job? dream role or not that’s building discipline?
- Are you nurturing a relationship, or learning to love your own company?
- Do you keep showing up for the people who matter?
- Do you parent with more patience than before?
- Do you drive or commute responsibly?
- Do you keep a roof over your head?
- Do you manage your money better than five years ago?
- Have you finished a course, a book, a habit streak?
- Do you catch small moments of joy when the sun is on your face, a good meal, a quiet laugh?
Where you see “just doing life,” someone else sees resilience. Where you see “not there yet,” I see evidence: you are moving. Proud ≠ done.
Look back five years. Are you handling conflict with more calm? Do you bounce back faster after setbacks? Have your standards or boundaries gotten clearer? Did you learn a skill, a mindset, or a healthier habit? If the answer is yes to even one, that’s progress and progress is worth pride.
Being proud isn’t pretending you’ve arrived. It’s respecting the steps you’ve taken big wins like finally submitting that application, and small wins like cooking yourself a proper meal after a long day. Pride fuels momentum. It reminds your nervous system, we can do hard things. Proud ≠ done.
So, ask yourself again: Are you proud of yourself? Maybe your answer is shifting now. Recognising your effort isn’t settling; it’s telling the truth about your growth. The fact that you’re still here, still trying, still becoming that’s a victory.
Am I proud of myself? Yes complicated, but yes. I’ve had moments I felt behind, moving slower than everyone else. But when I pause and trace my steps, I see it: five years ago I wouldn’t have imagined I’d be here, sharing my thoughts online, connecting with you through writing, building self-trust brick by brick. It hasn’t been easy. There were doubts, detours, and days I wanted to disappear. But each challenge shaped me. I’m proud of my resilience, my growth, and the courage to embrace my journey. Proud ≠ done. I’m proud and I’m still becoming.
You don’t have to be finished to be proud. You just have to be honest about your steps.
Proud ≠ done. So are you proud of yourself? Say it with your chest: Yes, and I’m still becoming.
Share the Post:
Related Posts