40 Reasons To Be Proud Of Yourself That Are Bigger Than They Seem

In a fast paced world where you feel like you need to be everything at once, while feeling the external pressure of achieving certain things by a certain age, it’s important to remind yourself of all the little things to be proud of, that are actually so much bigger than they seem. 

Celebrating success should not be reserved only for the bigger milestones in life, let’s normalize celebrating the things that may seem insignificant to others, but mean so much to yourself. Sometimes it seems like the things that you are proud of feel small compared to others, but I promise you this is not true. 

Instead of dwelling on what didn’t go right, I encourage you to begin celebrating your successes, no matter how small they seem. Taking pride in small victories is so much more helpful for your mindset than focusing on the negatives. Remember that your mindset is your everything–you will never live a positive life with a negative outlook.

I know it can be difficult to think of little reasons to be proud of yourself, and you might be reading this and unable to think of anything, which is why I have compiled this list of little things to be proud of that are often overlooked and actually not that little at all.

Normalize being proud of yourself for:

1. Surviving the day when you didn’t think you would. 
2. Showing up regardless of how you feel.
3. Being the reason someone smiles. 
4. Being compassionate and kind to others. 
5. Seeking help when you know you need it. 
6. Looking after yourself and your body. 
7. Taking it easy when you need a break. 
8. Showing up for the people you care about. 
9. Being able to forgive yourself for any mistakes you have made. 
10. Caring deeply for others even if you have been told you are too much. 
11. Setting boundaries for yourself even if it makes you uncomfortable. 
12. Having the courage to put yourself first. 
13. Going for a walk when it’s the last thing you feel like doing.
14. Not giving up even when you really want to. 
15. Getting up in the morning when you are struggling to find a reason to.
16. Accomplishing things on your own. 
17. Being a trustworthy person and friend. 
18. Loving with your whole heart even after it’s been broken. 
19. Making decisions that feel right to you. 
20. Starting a new life in a new city, even if you had to leave some things behind. 
21. Starting habits to better your life and sticking to them.
22. Carrying yourself with confidence even when you are doubting yourself.
23. Being kind even when your heart is hurting.
24. Making a big decision that was incredibly hard to make.
25. Asking people who haven’t seemed like themselves lately if they are okay.
26. Apologizing to someone after realizing you made a mistake or hurt them.
27. Moving on from a break-up one day at a time.
28. Getting through a difficult day that felt like it would never end.
29. Letting go of toxic people in your life.
30. Maintaining and nurturing friendships. 
31. Putting your life on hold as you heal.
32. Allowing people into your heart and life. 
33. Having a passion and actually pursuing it.
34. Putting the pieces of your heart back together after it was broken by someone else.
35. Putting yourself out of your comfort zone and trying new things.
36. Having a shower when you don’t feel like getting out of bed.
37. Quitting a job that was impacting your mental health.
38. Saying no to something you know isn’t good for you even though it makes you feel incredibly guilty.
39. Listening to your body and spending the day in bed when you know that’s all you are capable of right now.
40. That you are still here despite it all.

It gets exhausting saving all of your smiles for other people, so please don’t ever forget how much you have to be proud of yourself for. Each time you are feeling like you don’t have a lot to celebrate, please come back to this list, or even better, add to this list. If you like to journal, use this as a prompt when you need to remind yourself of how much there is to be proud of yourself for. I hope after reading this, you can look in the mirror and say “I’m proud of you” and really mean it. 

Find more ways to reaffirm self-love with Charlotte’s books Everything You’ll Ever Need (You Can Find Within Yourself) and This Was Meant To Find You (When You Needed it Most).