I’m Proud of You

I'm Proud of You It started on Twitter, as most great ideas do.

OK, fine. Only half of that first idea is true. But thanks to a wonderful Internet friend, a bot, and a beloved cardigan-wearing superhero, this post really did start on Twitter.

When was the last time someone said, “I’m proud of you”?

Because I actually have an answer to that question, I know, without a doubt, that I surround myself with amazing people. But the fact that I had to think on it, and I know so many more people probably can’t come up with an answer, I knew I had some work to do.

Even though I do know that my husband blinked bleary-eyed at me two nights ago and said, “I’m proud of you” as I prattled on about work and freelancing and blogging, I couldn’t tell you the last I said it to someone who wasn’t a student. 

Grown ups don’t hear it enough. Maybe grown ups don’t hear it ever. It isn’t said to us and we certainly don’t take the time to say it to ourselves. 

I’m proud of you.

Whether it’s your work…

You woke up this morning and went to a job that you rely on, that your family relies on. It might not be your passion or your calling, but you work hard and get things done.

Your job is thankless, and you do it anyway. Because you love it, and because people are better for you doing your job. The pay is low or the recognition isn’t what it should be, but you do the work anyway.

You realized your job isn’t for you. It’s not the trajectory you want to be on, so you’re taking steps to change it. You might be on step 1, step 1,001, or somewhere in between. The fact that you’re moving matters.

RELATED POST: To Everyone Who Went to Work Today

Or your money…

Your journey is just getting starting. You’re chipping away at your debt, but moving the boulder uphill feels exhausting and futile. Every push matters, even when it seems like it does. Every dollar paid, is a triumph.

You can run circles around me financially. You have your affairs in order and are enjoying the payoff from the days, weeks, months, years, and decades of your hard work.

You’re caught somewhere in between. You’ve been on your journey for a while. The wins and losses columns in your financial ledger vie back and forth, and you’re just hoping to tally one more W before the year’s end. The waiting game may very well be the hardest game of all.

You slide backward sometimes. You’re hit with the unexpected, you’re part of a flawed system, you’re struggling despite Herculean effort. The fact that you show up when you don’t want to is monumental.

RELATED POST: You Are Not Your Money or Your Debt

Or something else entirely…

You’re a young parent, or just a new one.

You’re raising people or pets.

You have a full house or an empty nest.

You’re single or separated, dating or married.

Your family is close or your family couldn’t be farther away and apart.

You might be the glue that holds your friends together or the friend who is struggling to hold on.

You found yourself decades ago or you’re still waiting for the universe to just buy you a vowel.

You’re recognized for everything or nothing.

RELATED POST: To Anyone Who is Learning That Progress Isn’t a Line

I’m Proud of You

We all struggle and we all succeed.

I’m proud of the people in my life. In the flesh and in the digital world, I surround myself with people who are doing difficult things, amazing things. Things that I could never imagine, things that I can only dream of.

I’m proud of you, I’m inspired by you, and I’m better because of you.

Thank you.

Pssst – If you want to hear someone say it better than I ever could, Mr. Rogers can. (Twice!)

8 Comments

  1. I remember telling an adult friend, several years ago: I’m so proud of you. And she cried because she’s an orphan and no one had said that to her for years.

    I’m proud of you for thinking about this, for doing hard, sometimes thankless, work, and for still making a life worth living on your terms.

  2. Love this! I think these are powerful words you can say to someone because although we need to strive to validate ourselves and pursue intrinsic motivation, it sure as hell is nice to hear from time to time from someone else, and can do wonders in giving you a little more pep to your step!

  3. I love Mr Rodgers. I cry almost every time I see something of his. He pulls on those heart strings of mine.

    When I first started dating my partner, he would say that he was proud of me….and I hated it. At the time, I couldn’t quite put my finger on exactly why I had such a strong reaction.

    Maybe it was because I didn’t believe that I was worthy of being proud of. Or that I had a limiting belief on what being proud meant. Therefore, I thought someone could only be proud of my achievements and not of who I was. And I wanted him to like me for me and not just my achievements.

    It’s been something I’m working through. And I will say, I currently don’t cringe when he says it now. So progress has been made!

    I think the key has been truly believing that he loves me and that I’m worthy of his love.

  4. We try to tell TwC the times he’s accomplish something like spelling his name or counting numbers in order that we’re proud of him to bring positive vibes and make him feel special.
    We don’t say this enough to other adults and should be said more towards each other. It can make them feel better about themselves by just saying those few words!!
    Btw, I loved watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood growing up, he’s a great role model for kids and families with his words.

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