It's easy to get caught up in the daily melodrama that is life, and forget what exceptional human beings we can be. There are those in life who accomplish feats that the average person can only dream of, or stand back and ask "why would you do that?" But in our day to day, those of us who just fall into the "average" population slot, we accomplish quite a lot as well.
It is with that in mind, that I started thinking about all of the little things I've done that I'm extremely proud of. I give you my top five, in no particular order:
1. Graduating college. I don't come from a long line of college educated ancestors. My grandmother (my mother's mother) was a teacher, but besides her, my parents, uncles and aunts, other grandparents, did not go to college for whatever reasons or circumstances. I am extremely proud of my parents, and how much they have accomplished through hard-work, and intelligence, but there was definitely a sense of pride in being one of the first in generations to graduate college. More than that, it was a self-pride that I could do it.
2. Being a Big Sister. When I joined Big Brothers Big Sisters and became a big sister to Kayla, it was mostly out of boredom. I was going through some stuff with my so-called friends of the moment, and was spending too much time at home on weekends, alone, with nothing to do. I had thought about becoming a Big many times before, and it seemed like the perfect time. Almost 6 years later, and there are no words to explain how much I love my "little". She is family to me now, and I am so proud of the young woman she's becoming. I am also very proud of myself for the positive influence I believe I've added to her life, and for all that I've done for her, and her family, over the years. I find it hard to take compliments when people tell me what a wonderful thing it is I'm doing, because I get more than I give from this deal...but I'm still really proud.
3. Being single, and completely comfortable with it. It's not that I think being single is a great accomplishment everyone should strive toward, it's just that in today's society, women are STILL believe to be less of a person if they haven't gotten married and had children by the age of 30. And yet, here I am, 32, and perfectly content with my singledom. I would still like children, and maybe even a husband some day, but my life does not revolve around that "search" for the man that will somehow make me complete. I am complete. I'm pretty damn proud of that fact.
4. Buying my condo. I became a homeowner at 27. On my own. That's a pretty damn impressive accomplishment. I worked (and still work) extremely hard to make it a possibility, and then I was actually able to do it. My place may not be the biggest, or ritziest place out there, but it's mine. I still get an insane sense of pride when I put my key in the lock, and open MY door every night. Holy crap...I'm paying a mortgage every month. It's not easy...but damn...I'm still doing it 4 years later!
5. I have a very diverse, and more importantly really great group of girl friends. I don't know that I can really be "proud" of this, or that I can take credit for it, after all they are who they are through their own doing. But I've managed to somehow surround myself with some incredible women, and every day I'm so thankful for it. I've had some rotten "friendship" issues in the past, so to presently have these individuals call me a friend is an accomplishment I can't help but be proud of. They help make my life the success I think it is.
So there you have it, I've tooted my own horn. What are you proud of?
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