Not about your family, children or other people, but you? Feeling proud about what you do, is empowering, fulfilling, contagious and important.
You hear about actors who can’t watch their work, artists who don’t have their work in their own homes, presenters who can’t listen to their own voices. Is it awkwardness? A fear of vanity? Are they not proud of what they do? I’m not sure I have the answers. When I have moments of wobbliness at starting my own business (it’s an emotional rollercoaster that’s for sure) I have to remember that I can do this, I have to have self-belief and be proud of my work in my own little way.
I rather fear that women and if I dare generalise further us English folk aren’t that good at respecting ourselves, celebrating our own achievements and telling people....
Let’s not be confused. Pride isn’t showing off or arrogance. It’s not a swaggering brag, it’s just a feeling of respect and satisfaction for yourself and what you have achieved.
Have a think about what makes you proud about YOU.
I’m endlessly proud of my family and their achievements, from new words spoken, races won, acts of kindness, cub badges, comedy moments, spellings conquered, the list is endless. But now as I think, what list can I write for myself?
At first draft my list is a bit sparse, but as I ponder and think, I’m proud of so many things I have done, I’d forgotten some, I will never forget others (first marathon, gosh the elation!), and now as Chris and I embark on a new Willis Bloom adventure. I’m proud of both of us for being brave, supporting each other, taking the plunge. I’m proud of when I dug deep, when I had to learn new skills whilst pregnant and with a newborn, I’m proud of designing collections that I love and would happily have in my own home.
I have a little reminder every day as I walk into our bathroom. It’s the original artwork from our Bee fabric collection in a frame. I see it every time I walk into the room and I think to myself, I love that, I’d buy that, but I don’t need to, I drew it. It lives happily next to a roman blind in our fabric too. It’s nice to feel proud isn’t it.
For my last birthday Mr Willis gave me my A Level Art Exam painting. He’d had it framed. It’s now happily displayed in our youngest sons’ bedroom and I see it every day. It’s a reminder of my pride as a 17 year old school girl.
Sometimes we need a visual reminder of the things that make us proud. Maybe we should start dishing out trophies and certificates to ourselves? Just a thought.
What are you proud of?