I sat on my bed last night, staring at the ceiling, replaying my past like an old movie—one I had watched too many times before. The struggles, the heartbreaks, the moments I felt like giving up, all of it came rushing back like waves crashing against the shore. And yet, here I was. Still standing. Still breathing. Still moving forward.
But for so long, I couldn’t see that.
I used to be my own worst critic. I would wake up every morning feeling like I hadn’t done enough, like I hadn’t achieved what I should have by now. I would compare my life to others, scrolling through social media and wondering why everyone else seemed to have it all figured out while I was still trying to piece myself together. I would look at the goals I hadn’t reached, the dreams that still felt so far away, and I would sink into this overwhelming feeling of not being enough.
Maybe you know what that feels like.
Maybe you, too, have stood in front of a mirror and felt frustrated with yourself. Maybe you’ve whispered, “I should be further along by now.” Maybe you’ve measured your progress against someone else’s highlight reel and felt like you were falling behind. And maybe, like me, you’ve been so focused on how far you still have to go that you’ve forgotten to honor the incredible journey you’ve already made.
So, today, I want to pause. I want to take a deep breath. And I want to remind myself—and you—that progress isn’t about perfection. It’s about movement. It’s about showing up, even when it’s hard. It’s about taking one step forward, even when you’re scared.
And the truth is, you’ve come so much further than you realize.
Think back to who you were a year ago. Five years ago. Remember the nights you cried yourself to sleep, the days you doubted if you could keep going, the moments when you thought things would never get better. And yet, here you are. Maybe you’re not exactly where you want to be, but you’re no longer where you used to be. That matters. That’s worth celebrating.
Life isn’t a straight path. It’s messy, unpredictable, and often feels like a storm you’re barely surviving. But even in the storm, you are growing. Even when it doesn’t feel like it, you are learning. Even when you feel stuck, you are still moving in ways you can’t see yet.
And maybe right now, you’re going through one of those tough seasons. Maybe you feel exhausted, unsure, or even lost. Maybe you’re questioning whether you’re really making progress at all.
Let me remind you of something that changed the way I see my own journey: Every small step counts.
The moments you get out of bed when you don’t feel like it. The times you choose to keep trying when it would be easier to give up. The tiny decisions to love yourself a little more, believe in yourself a little harder, and keep hoping even when life feels unfair—these moments are proof that you are growing. They are proof that you are moving forward, even when it feels slow.
So, be proud of yourself.
Be proud of the way you’ve survived things you never thought you could. Be proud of the lessons you’ve learned and the strength you’ve built along the way. Be proud of the fact that you are still here, still pushing forward, still believing in better days.
Because the truth is, life will always have more mountains to climb. There will always be more dreams to chase, more goals to reach, more growth to embrace. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t already worthy, already enough, already deserving of love and recognition for how far you’ve come.
You don’t have to wait until you’ve “made it” to be proud of yourself. You don’t have to wait until you’ve reached some perfect version of success before you give yourself permission to celebrate your progress. You are allowed to be a work in progress and still be proud of how far you’ve come.
So, today, I choose to honor my journey. I choose to remind myself that even though I still have a long way to go, I have already come so far. And I hope you do the same.
Because you deserve to see yourself the way the world sees you—as someone who is strong, resilient, and moving forward, one step at a time.