There’s no shame in being proud.
This evening, I had to write a letter to one of my scholarship donors, thanking them for their generous contributions to the Alumni fund at the university. In the letter, I was to include updates about what I have done since arriving at Leeds, how my course is going and the impact being a scholarship recipient has had on me. Upon proof reading the letter, I realised that there, before me, was written documentation of all that I had achieved in the past 8 months; I am not afraid to admit that it made me proud, knowing that I have really taken advantage of every opportunity presented to me. There is a certain hostility toward being proud of yourself these days: pride is misconstrued as an expression of self-absorption and big-headedness. I believe that everybody has something, numerous things in fact, to be proud of. It may not be something life-changing to others, it may not necessarily change your life in a substantial manner, but one thing is certain: if you can learn to be proud of any achievement, no matter how small, this will be directly proportionate to increased confidence, self efficacy and perception of self-worth.
I believe in the ethos that what you get from life, is determined by what you put in. While at times this seems difficult to comprehend, as life throws one more spanner in the works… and another… and then a brick, effort and determination will mainfest themselves in a positive and rewarding output eventually.
Why is today a good day to evaluate your life achievements and be proud of the person you are today? Why is today a good day to break free from the stigma attached to personal pride? Well why not?
