What Are You Proud of??

[Guesting]

Hi everyone!

I thought I'll start a thread on the topic of something you've done that you are proud of.  

I don't know about anyone else, but I find it easier to think about the things I've done that I'm not proud of than vice versa.  Coming up with something I've done that I'm especially proud of will take more effort.   I'm still thinking about it.  

Does anybody want to take the first plunge?

[write]

I'm proud of taking responsibility for my future, and commiting to work through the issues of my past; but most of all for letting myself be human after so many years of ( failed ) attempts to be super-human.

I like being me!

[Brigid]

I am and hope I always will be most proud of the job I have done as a mother.  It has been my passion in life and the payoff has been priceless.

Brigid

[October]

Hmm.  This is a tough one.  Pride equates to arrogance, even when it doesn't, so I will have to cope with feelings of guilt and arrogance while doing this one.

I am very proud of my daughter.  She is her own person, and doesn't get pushed around by anyone.  On the other hand, when I put my foot down, as at present with teaching her the ancient art of washing up she doesn't argue.  

I am also proud of my goddaughter, who is less to my credit, but nonetheless an important part of my life, and I would hope that I am an important part of hers.  And my nephews are very close to my heart as well.  They are lovely little boys.

What else?  Well, I have a nice house, and a nice garden, and a car that goes, even if it is very old.  And I am still here, and still strong.  (ish).  And I seem not to care who I fight, or who is on the opposite side.  Bring them on!!!  (Except afterwards I go to pieces, but they never see that bit.)

I don't have hundreds of friends, but the few I have who keep in touch are lovely people.  Perhaps one of the worst aspects of depression is that we never see quite how good our friends are, because we are always looking for what is missing.  But my friends are very special.

[Dazza]

What a great question to ask. This is a topic that is sometimes touched on during a job interview, but rarely else.

I am proud of several professional accomplishments, mainly that I have succeeded despite adversity and without help from my family. (If that sounds self-serving, well, it's not a bad thing to toot your own horn once in a while.)
 
Above all, I am proud that I live in the truth, rather than a state of arrogant denial.

I've witnessed the dangers of having a big ego, and I'm always asking myself how I can be a better person.

[mum]

The "proud" word gets me...not sure why, perhaps because pride is many times an imposter.
But I guess I feel proud when I stand up for what I believe to be right and when I face down fear for what it is...another imposter.
When I protect and encourage my children to be heard I feel this power....
I guess I feel blessed more than proud.  I am humbled by what wonders come my way....I feel part of something else, a greater good, I guess, so it's hard to take credit.  Does that make sense?

[Anonymous]

I am proud for my ability to work with kids - and they see me as someone safe.  While not having kids of my own, my upbringing makes me understand that someone never EVER has the right to "mess" with kids.

My passionate outlook on kids has allowed me to enter straight into the gates of hell (kids in the system who kill) - and walk beside a kid encouraging them to put their past behind them.

cat-guesting

[Sallying Forth]

Homeschooling my step-son in the middle of working on my stuff. He was hanging by a thread in public school.

And he's thankful I sacrificed the time and has thanked me several times.

[Sela]

I have a hard time with saying I'm proud too but I am glad that I stood up and spoke the truth when the odds against me were overwhelming.  I ignored fear and trudged on.

I am proud of my children and take credit for loving them, teaching them, hearing them and valuing them.  They are good people and I believe in them/encourage them to follow their dreams and be themselves.

I am glad that I've stuck with certain goals of my own and accomplished them by shear faith and determination and I do also feel very blessed, in many ways and am thankful.

Sela

[Moira]

Hi all! Funny how people who have suffered abuse have such a hard time accepting compliments, acknowledging their achievements or being proud of themselves etc. Great to read what others are proud of and uplifting to see we can actually acknowledge anything no matter how small. It does my heart good to read the comments from people with kids and being able to recognize themselves for being good parents- I believe being a good parent is the single most difficult and noble accomplishment of all. Relish this all you parents!!!! Personally I'm proud of surviving my N family without being institutionalized or in prison! I'm proud of completing university and college with honours, establishing a great career X 20 years- all this while struggling with bipolar that's landed me in hospital many times, alienated friends, lost me partners and caused divorce, stints in younger years on the street, drug addiction etc etc. and I have to say I'm beginning to be proud about my kicking my N partner out on a dime and only having wasted 6 months on this crap. My shrink says to me " you know, this is a step up, an improvement to how you would have dealt- or not dealt!- with abuse in the past. Before you would typically waste years being abused, hoping against hope they would change and things would get better". true enough. Keep your chins up- collective chins not reference to anyone's double chin!- and hopefully you can look i n the mirror and smile at yourself. Accept compliments- they're about YOU and they'er affirming. We NEED to hear this because we too often don't see ourselves as worthy so we're suspicious about compliments and acknowledgments. Revel in them- you all deserve them!!

[missm]

I'm proud of learning to be okay with being just okay.  A couple of years ago, the idea of not being exceptional at whatever I tried was intolerable.  Now I find tremendous comfort in just being how I am at what I endevour, be that talented, average, or not all that great.  My pleasure in what I do is no longer so dependant on what others have to say about it. Go me!