"You go, girl."
"That's all you, boo!"
"Damnnn, Gina!"

You've probably heard that before in the comment section of your best Instagram photo or as a follow-up text to the news of your recent job promotion. It's something often expressed outwardly to those we love and care about, but why does it seem like we never congratulate ourselves? Often times we're the last ones to pat ourselves on the back or buy ourselves a congratulatory drink.

It's a simple enough idea: celebrating your wins. There is so much done in life that others aren't aware of that need to be appreciated too. After all, goals are for you; why shouldn't you be the one to celebrate? It only makes sense. Yet, it seems like nobody is truly congratulating themselves. We're all hiding behind our humble brags and slight slays, waiting for someone else to acknowledge our hard work and sacrifice. And, how unfair is that?

Social media is known for its highlight reel atmosphere. For many, it is singular in the catalyst cases of FOMO, peer pressure, and in more serious cases, depression and anxiety. Imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments, has been around for decades. The fear of judgement, rejection, criticism; all existed before but have been exacerbated by social media. This destructive, recurring pattern of thought happens all too often and to so many of us. As life goes on and our lives become ever more reliant on social media, it becomes more imperative that we become our own cheerleaders before anyone else.

If you don't celebrate yourself, why would anyone else?

It is honest to celebrate yourself. Goals are for you. We set goals because they make us happy; they are what we want. If you want to compliment yourself because you feel and/or look good, you should! Being secure in your achievements, failures, and obstacles gives you the peace to cheer for others. Celebrations don't have to be big. Small wins matter, too. It can be beauty treatments, buying ice cream, or something as simple as downtime. There's so much that is done that others aren't aware of. Those need to be appreciated too. Celebrating yourself makes you more positive, keeps you less bitter, and more confident. You, in turn, celebrate others more. Security is a hell of a thing.

When you sleep on your success, you're only hurting yourself.

Success is not a slight or a punishment. We shouldn't be ashamed of the choices we've made that led to success. We're allowed to love ourselves and the things that we have. More importantly, we're allowed to love the things that we've worked for. It's not for everyone else, it's for you. You and you alone. To understand that and to live in that means you can confidently empower yourself without marginalizing someone else.

Confidence is not arrogance. Don't confuse the two.

Confident people are beautiful people. Head held high, shoulder back, and eyes forward. The success of others doesn't diminish anything in your life - and vice versa. There's a fine line, but we shouldn't apologize for congratulating ourselves. Confidence is built in small victories. We should not be ashamed to share our victories with a supportive, encouraging community. We should feel no guilt in being proud of ourselves. While confidence and arrogance share a thin line, it's possible to be one without the other.

You're allowed to love your life and the things in it. You deserve it.

Featured image by Getty Images

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