Do You Celebrate Yourself?
"Wait, you were working full-time, raising a one-year-old, pregnant with the second child, and at the same time studying to become a coach?" So said an old college friend recently. She said it with such a note of surprise in her voice, as if it were a major accomplishment.
At the time, I brushed it off. But later on, I started to reflect on her words more carefully.
I realized that throughout my life, I’ve rarely acknowledged my own accomplishments—whether professional or personal. Perhaps it’s my Eastern European upbringing that shaped this mindset. I can vividly recall moments when significant achievements were downplayed. My uncle once dismissed my cousin’s acceptance to Harvard, fully funded by a scholarship, as "no big deal." Growing up in this environment, success wasn’t something we celebrated openly, and I internalized this habit of pushing past my wins without ever pausing to reflect or appreciate them. Appreciate me.
As I became a coach, I started noticing the same pattern in the people I work with. They, too, struggle with recognizing their achievements. No matter how much progress they make or how many milestones they hit, they tend to move on to the next goal without giving themselves any credit. No pat on the back; no small act of celebration. It’s as if celebrating success is reserved for some unattainable, distant achievement, but not for the real, meaningful progress we experience every day.
But here’s the thing: accomplishments matter, and they deserve recognition. If we don’t take the time to acknowledge the good we do—for ourselves or others—how will we ever feel truly fulfilled when we reach those bigger milestones?
More importantly, when we learn to celebrate our own achievements, it opens our eyes to the accomplishments of those around us—our colleagues, family and friends. Reflect on your own experiences when you were a child or a teenager, when did you feel more encouraged? Was it when your parents acknowledged and praised your efforts, or when they dismissed them? The same applies in the workplace. When do you feel more supported and motivated to grow—when your colleagues and superiors recognize your accomplishments, or when they stay silent and focus only on areas to improve?
In coaching, I often remind my clients to recognize their progress and successes, no matter how subtle they may seem at the time.
If you’re like me, and celebrating your achievements doesn’t come naturally, start by thinking about how you’d want the people you care about to feel when they accomplish something. Wouldn’t you want them to feel proud, appreciated and valued? And the simple truth is that you, too, deserve the same acknowledgment and celebration.
As you’re reading this, take a moment to reflect on one thing you’ve done today—that has moved you forward. Acknowledge it.
If recognizing your accomplishments feels difficult, start by thanking yourself for the effort and progress you’ve made, no matter how small.
Over time, these moments of acknowledgment will grow into a habit of celebrating yourself and others in a way that feels meaningful and fulfilling.
