What are you proud of?

When people ask me what I’m proud of I usually think of how I’ve made others think and feel. I reflect on my coaching and teaching all the time – how can I improve it; what went right/wrong etc. When it comes to life events I don’t tend to celebrate but then I try not to ruminate either – it’s a protective mechanism. Inspired by a recent post I read, I started making a list:

• Getting into university despite those close to me saying I shouldn't and being homeless when taking my A Levels. I tanked my A Levels which my parents said they were happy about as it would ‘show me’ but the uni let me in anyway! 
• Moving to London from Yorkshire (yes it was to follow a boy but I still made the move ‘down south’ which I’d been warned about)
• I completed my Masters in my 20s when working full-time, suffering PTSD and severe depression while also being a carer for the boy (now husband).
• Being awarded an all-expenses paid trip to a conference in Chicago because of my work achievements. I found out on the same day I was offered a new job.
• Being named a Lis-Network Rising Star
• Being nominated for a student-led teaching award despite not being a year into my new role
• Presenting at two conferences on compassion and customer service while suffering morning sickness
• Presenting a talk about compassion for our colleagues and students on the big stage at Internet Librarian International while heavily pregnant – I teetered a bit too close to the edge 
• Passing my driving test at the third attempt when eight month’s pregnant (it was a busy year)
• Breastfeeding my two little ones, despite working full-time
• Starting a new job two weeks before going on maternity leave
• Receiving my coaching qualification

These all required bravery and resilience yet I’d forgotten some of them. So I’m partly writing this post as a reminder to myself that I am enough, but also to you. When you’re going through a tough patch it can be helpful to look back and think how you’ve done it all before.

Chicago!

What are you proud of?