What Haven't You Given Yourself Credit For?
One Question to Take With You
We have a funny way of keeping score in life. We remember the things we didn't finish. The goals we haven't reached. The promises we made to ourselves that somehow got pushed aside when life got busy. We can probably list five things we still need to accomplish before the end of the year without giving it much thought. But ask us what we're proud of? That's a different story.
Somewhere along the way, we've become much better at recognizing what's missing than acknowledging what's meaningful. We celebrate the big milestones. The promotions. The graduations. The finished projects. The exciting announcements. But what about everything that happens in between? What about the difficult conversation you finally had? The boundary you learned to set? The morning you got out of bed and showed up even though life felt impossibly heavy? The decision to walk away from something that no longer fit who you were becoming? Or the courage it took to begin again when you weren't entirely sure what came next?
Those moments may not come with certificates, applause, or social media announcements. But they matter. And sometimes, they're the moments that change us the most.
Progress Doesn't Always Look Like Progress
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. We tend to measure progress by what we can see. What we've produced. What we've completed. What we can check off a list. But some of the most significant growth in our lives isn't nearly that obvious. Sometimes progress looks like responding differently to something that used to send you spiraling. Sometimes it looks like recognizing you need rest before you're completely exhausted. Sometimes it looks like being willing to admit that what you once wanted isn't what you want anymore. And sometimes progress looks like standing still long enough to figure out what matters before taking another step.
None of those things necessarily look impressive on paper. But that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, I would argue that some of the most meaningful accomplishments in our lives have very little to do with what we've done and everything to do with who we're becoming.
The Problem With Always Looking Ahead
I'm a goal setter. A planner. A person who loves a fresh notebook, a new idea, and a good action plan. And there's nothing wrong with that. But I've also learned that when we're constantly focused on what's next, we can overlook what's already happened. We move the finish line. We accomplish something and immediately replace it with another goal. We survive a challenging season and, instead of acknowledging what it required of us, start worrying about the next one.
We rarely give ourselves permission to stop and say, "That was hard. And look at me. I made it through." Maybe that's part of why we sometimes feel like we're never doing enough. We're measuring ourselves against everything that remains unfinished instead of recognizing everything we've already navigated.
One Question to Take With You
So here's the question I'd love for you to sit with this week:
What's something you've accomplished, overcome, or learned this year that you haven't given yourself enough credit for?
Not what someone else thinks you should be proud of. Not what would look impressive on a résumé. Not what would get the most likes on social media. What matters to you? Maybe you became more patient. Maybe you asked for help. Maybe you finally said no. Maybe you tried something new, even though you were afraid. Maybe you made it through a season you weren't sure you could handle. Whatever comes to mind, don't dismiss it because it seems small. Give it the recognition it deserves.
Acknowledging your progress isn't about bragging or pretending everything has been wonderful. It's about seeing your life with a little more perspective. And sometimes that perspective is exactly what we need to keep moving forward.
Before you start making another list of everything you need to do, take a moment to recognize what you've already done.
You might discover you're further along than you thought.
Want to spend a little more time reflecting on your journey? My new digital guide, LOOK BACK, was created to help you recognize the moments, lessons, victories, and experiences that have shaped you. It's an opportunity to celebrate where you've been before deciding where you want to go next.
