By 
You do a lot. And I don’t think we celebrate that enough. From the day-to-day routines, to the constant attempts at making yourself feel special. And then the work, the maintenance, the endless responsibilities of being an adult. You’re doing it! You’re succeeding in this adult thing.
We get so caught up in things not looking, or feeling, as we expected. We have these ideas, and compare our lives to our illusions. Whenever we don’t live up to our expectations or timelines, we withhold that desperately needed self-validation. That pat on the back. That parade.
Stop doing that. In fact, reverse it completely. Celebrate everything! You went grocery shopping? How thoughtful! You’re looking out for future you. You’re so kind.
No, seriously. If someone else grocery shopped for you, wouldn’t that be so commendable? And I’m not talking about the time or energy (it’s 2023, they would most likely order your groceries online) or even the money, because you can afford your groceries. It’s the thought that would be special. The fact that someone was thinking about you, and made the effort to do something nice for you. And you do that regularly without ever thinking how kind of a person you are.
When you exercise, you are making a conscious effort to better yourself and improve your health. You’re possibly working towards a personal goal you’ve set. That’s worth celebrating! I just don’t get why we are missing out on all these opportunities to shower ourselves with praise.
And that’s the thing. The reward or celebration could be as simple as that – praise. You don’t have to splurge on an expensive vacation or indulge in a sugary treat for every feat (though they are both occasionally necessary rewards). But you do need to acknowledge your efforts and appreciate yourself.
You’ll see so much online about how unfair and toxic (the internet gets a hold of a word and really runs with it, doesn’t it?) it is to not acknowledge your partner’s efforts and show your appreciation for all they do. There are a million videos dedicated to why relationships fail due to lack of appreciation.
Are you appreciating yourself? How do you show that appreciation? How do you think this is affecting your relationship with yourself?
I don’t think we focus enough on our relationship with ourselves, honestly. It’s so challenging to be an adult, look halfway decent, find a way to consistently make money, feed yourself, and maintain relationships. It’s like four full time jobs. And no parades.
I’m over it.
I used to really want the parade thrown for me. I wanted expected the world to see what I was doing and secretly plan a lavish celebration, because wow! That never happened. In 2023, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands.
I am throwing myself the parade. I deserve it. I am taking the best care of myself this year. I’m acknowledging my efforts and celebrating myself. I want to be excited about my life, so I am going to continually give myself something to look forward to. After realizing the things that used to fill me up like manicures and massages now feel like a chore, I’m remixing my self-care ingredient list to better suit 35-year old Amirah. I am paying attention to myself, and honoring my voice. I deserve that much.
As always, I welcome you along on this journey with me. You deserve all you desire. And I hope you remember that every day, sis. Let’s have the best year yet by taking the best care of ourselves.
