Episode 4: You Deserve an Award for That

Recognizing the quiet victories, unseen courage, and personal growth that deserve to be celebrated.

When was the last time you gave yourself credit for something? Not because someone complimented you. Not because you received an award, earned a promotion, or reached an impressive milestone. But simply because you recognized something you did that mattered.

We're often pretty good at celebrating other people. We recognize their accomplishments, encourage them through difficult seasons, and remind them how far they've come. But when it comes to ourselves? We tend to move right along to the next thing. The next goal. The next responsibility. The next thing that needs our attention. And somewhere along the way, we forget to acknowledge the person who has been showing up through all of it.

Ourselves.

Not Every Accomplishment Comes With Applause

Think about the things you've navigated this year. Maybe you made a difficult decision that nobody else fully understood. Maybe you had a conversation you'd been avoiding. Maybe you started something new, walked away from something familiar, or finally established a boundary you'd needed for a long time. Or maybe this was simply a year when getting through certain days required more effort than anyone realized. Those things matter. But they're not always the kinds of accomplishments we celebrate. We live in a world that tends to recognize the visible victories. The promotions, the awards, the financial milestones, the finished projects, and the big announcements. And while those things are certainly worth celebrating, they're not the only measures of growth. Sometimes the most meaningful progress happens quietly.

Just because nobody else noticed doesn't mean it wasn't significant.

What If You Gave Yourself an Award?

I want you to imagine something for a moment. What if, at the end of this year, you had to give yourself an award? Not an award someone else chose for you. Not something based on your productivity, performance, or how impressive your accomplishments looked from the outside. An award you created for yourself.

What would it say? Maybe you'd receive the I Finally Spoke Up for Myself Award. Or the Most Likely to Keep Going Even When Things Got Hard Award. Maybe it's the I Tried Something New and Survived Award. Or perhaps the Learning to Let Go of What I Can't Control Award.

It could be funny. It could be heartfelt. It could be something that would make absolutely no sense to anyone else. That's part of what makes it meaningful. Because you know what it took to earn it. You know the conversations, decisions, struggles, and moments of courage behind that recognition. And sometimes, that's enough.

You Don't Have to Earn the Right to Celebrate Yourself

There's a difference between recognizing your growth and pretending you've figured everything out. You can celebrate progress while acknowledging there's still work to do. You can be proud of how you handled something even if you wish you'd handled parts of it differently. You can recognize your courage even when you were afraid. And you can appreciate how far you've come without comparing your journey to someone else's. Celebrating yourself isn't about believing you're perfect. It's about being willing to recognize what's true. Maybe you didn't accomplish everything you planned this year.

But what did you do?

What did you learn?

What did you overcome?

How did you grow?

Those answers deserve your attention, too.

Before You Move On, Give Yourself Some Credit

As the year comes to a close, there will be plenty of conversations about setting goals, making plans, and becoming better versions of ourselves. And there's nothing wrong with looking forward. But before you start thinking about everything you want to accomplish next, I hope you'll take a moment to recognize what you've already experienced. Not just the big things. The quiet things. The things that required courage, patience, perseverance, honesty, or a willingness to try again.

Because the person you are today has been shaped by more than your achievements. You've also been shaped by the choices you made when things were difficult, the lessons you learned along the way, and the moments when you decided to keep showing up. And I think that deserves a little recognition.

Your Back to You Question

If you could give yourself an award for something you experienced, overcame, learned, or accomplished this year, what would it be?

Don't worry about making it impressive. Make it meaningful. And if you can, give your award a name. Write it down. Maybe even put it somewhere you'll see it. You might be surprised by how good it feels to acknowledge something you've been overlooking.

Ready to Look Back?

Before you close the book on this year, take some time to revisit the whole story.

I created the Look Back reflection guide to help you remember, reflect, and recognize the year you've lived.

Through thoughtful questions, a twelve-month memory map, creative exercises, and opportunities to appreciate the people and experiences that mattered, you'll rediscover moments you may have forgotten along the way.

Because the last chapter was never the whole story.

Get your copy of Look Back by clicking below.