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Do you ever really pause to reflect on what you’ve accomplished? Not briefly. Not with one eye on your to-do list. But with presence. With kindness. With a little pride, even? If I’m honest, I rarely do. I’m someone who tends to look ahead. At what could be better. At what I still want to learn, to create, to fix. Even though there’s already so much worth celebrating.
People often say to me: “You’ve done so much,” or “How impressive that you managed to pull this off.” And I smile politely, but on the inside, I’m already onto the next thing. Thinking about what could’ve gone better. That one moment I wasn’t entirely happy with. It’s as if the success has already faded the moment it arrives. As if there’s no space to really let it sink in.
If you’re a perfectionist, you tend to focus on what still needs improvement. That’s not necessarily a bad trait—it helps you grow, develop, and stay critical. But if you never pause to acknowledge what already went well, you lose your balance. Then everything becomes a race. And that race never ends.
That awkward feeling
Being proud of yourself… it sounds so simple. But for many people, it feels uncomfortable.
Maybe you're afraid of coming across as arrogant. Or as if you’re making yourself more important than you really are. Maybe you learned early on that it’s not polite to praise yourself. That you should stay humble.
And of course, humility is valuable. But giving yourself recognition is not the same as boasting.
It’s not about inflating your ego—it’s about taking yourself seriously.
I think, as a society, we haven’t really learned to pause and appreciate our successes. Especially not the small, personal wins.
Getting a new degree, moving house, landing a promotion—those just about make the cut. But admitting you’re proud because you finally had a difficult conversation? Because you set a boundary? Or because you finished something that had been sitting on your list for months? That quickly feels “not important enough.”
And that’s a shame. Because it’s those little moments that give you energy. That help you keep going. That show you are making progress—even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
Always on the move
I see this in my clients too. People who work hard, think deeply, and try their best to do things right. They’re often working toward something: more calm, more balance, more meaning. And that’s beautiful.
But along the way, they sometimes forget to catch their breath. To look back. To notice how far they’ve already come.
A client recently said to me: “I feel like I haven’t achieved anything.”
When I asked her to name three things she was proud of, there was silence at first.
But once we looked at it together, so many things came up. Not earth-shattering, maybe—but important. And so well deserved.
The power of pausing
Taking time to acknowledge your achievements isn’t a luxury.
It’s a way to empower yourself. To fuel your motivation. To remind yourself of who you are and what you’re capable of.
And no, it doesn’t require confetti or champagne.
Sometimes it’s enough to simply think: “Hey, I did that. And I did it well.” Or: “I’ve grown. Maybe I don’t see it every day, but it’s there.”
If you do this regularly, you’ll notice you become softer with yourself. Less harsh. And you’re less likely to fall into that old trap of thinking you’re still “not enough.”
You get to know yourself better. And appreciate what you find.
What helps?
A few simple things can make a big difference:
- Write down three things you’re proud of each week.
Big or small—it doesn’t matter. What matters is seeing them. - Pause intentionally when you finish something.
Say it out loud. To yourself, or someone you trust. - Celebrate in your own way.
It could be a cup of tea with your favorite book. A walk. A smile. An intention. Anything goes. - Pay attention to how you respond to compliments.
Instead of brushing them off, try: “Thank you, that’s nice to hear.”
Your turn
Take a moment to look back on the past week. Or the past month.
What did you do well? What took courage? What was a small victory you’ve already forgotten about?
And once you’ve found it—pause. Feel it. Acknowledge it.
You’ve earned that moment. You don’t have to wait until it’s “big enough.”
You get to recognize yourself. Starting now.
Would you like to get better at pausing to notice your own growth?
In my coaching practice, I work with people who often run on autopilot—without realizing it. Smart, sensitive, thoughtful individuals who tend to be hard on themselves. Does that sound familiar?
Then maybe it’s time to slow down. Together.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk about what that could look like.
