🎂 The Art of Being Proud of Yourself (A Birthday Reflection)
I turned 31 today 🤍
And if there’s one thing I’ve been thinking about, it’s this:
Being proud of yourself is a skill.
Not something that just happens automatically.
Not something that comes once you hit a certain number.
But something you actually have to practice.
This Didn’t Come Naturally to Me
For a long time, I moved the goalpost constantly.
I would:
• Hit a milestone
• Acknowledge it for a second
• Then immediately think about what was next
There was always another level.
Another number.
Another thing I “should” be doing.
And on paper, it can look like ambition.
But underneath it?
👉🏽 It’s often a lack of permission to feel enough
What I’ve Realized at 31
You can build:
• A strong income
• A solid investment portfolio
• A growing net worth
And still feel like it’s not enough… if you don’t know how to receive it.
That’s the part no one teaches.
We talk about:
• How to earn
• How to save
• How to invest
But not:
👉🏽 How to actually feel proud of what you’ve built
Pride Isn’t Arrogance, It’s Integration
Being proud of yourself doesn’t mean:
• You’ve “made it”
• You stop growing
• You think you’re better than anyone else
It means:
👉🏽 You can acknowledge your effort without immediately dismissing it
It means letting yourself say:
“I’ve done something meaningful here.”
Even if there’s more you want.
This Has Been a Huge Part of My Financial Journey
When I look back, I’m not just proud of outcomes like:
• Investing consistently
• Growing my net worth
• Building this business
I’m proud of:
• Staying consistent when it wasn’t exciting
• Learning when I didn’t understand things yet
• Showing up for my money even when it felt uncomfortable
Because that’s what actually builds wealth.
Not one perfect decision…
👉🏽 But repeated, aligned ones
Why This Matters for You
If you don’t build the skill of being proud of yourself…
Nothing will ever feel like enough.
You’ll always be chasing:
• The next milestone
• The next number
• The next version of you
And you’ll miss the fact that:
👉🏽 You’re already doing the work
The Practice I’m Bringing Into This Year
Instead of asking:
“What’s next?”
I’m also asking:
👉🏽 “What have I already done that I haven’t fully acknowledged?”
That looks like:
• Actually pausing after progress
• Letting wins land (even small ones)
• Not immediately minimizing growth
It’s simple.
But it’s not easy.
The NurseMoneyDate® Lens
Inside this work, we focus so much on:
• Systems
• Consistency
• Long-term thinking
But this is the emotional layer that supports all of it.
Because when you feel proud of yourself…
👉🏽 You’re more likely to keep going
Not from pressure.
But from self-trust.
Final Thought
At 31, I don’t feel like I’ve “arrived.”
But I do feel like I’ve built something real.
And more importantly…
👉🏽 I’m letting myself feel proud of that
Not someday.
Now.
If it’s your birthday soon, or even if it’s not, I want you to try this:
Pause.
Look at what you’ve built.
And let it count 🤍