One of the greatest ironies of being human is that we’re often hardest on ourselves right when we should be most proud. You and I have been doing some pretty heavy work on ourselves, which may have dredged up our deepest insecurities, triggered feelings we would rather ignore, and that has made us come face to face with the most fragile, vulnerable parts of ourselves. And, yet there may not be any "visible" signs of the changes that we have been making to the outside world! Today instead of criticizing yourself for not doing enough, doing it fast enough, doing it well enough for it to count, choose to be proud. Be proud of your strength, your efforts, your progress, and the fact that you that you keep going. Whether you were wounded, weary, or worried, you keep getting back up. You keep moving forward. You keep evolving. You and I are doing the best we can. And that’s something worth celebrating. Today, do not wait until you reach your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take as you move forward.

Just for today, I am proud of myself. I am excited about the person I am becoming. My life can grow and expand to be as big and glorious as I want it to be. I see myself as beautiful, lovable and appreciated. I am proud to be me. And so it is.