Pride

I write a lot about how proud I am of my two beautiful boys and my wonderful husband and then I usually go on to beat myself up on the inside about how worried I am that I'm not doing a good enough job as a wife, mother, friend, co-worker, etc. Some of this is just part of my nature and something I will have to fight my entire life, but I also have some control over how I feel about myself.

Today, at this moment, I feel proud. Of myself. Proud that I've supported my husband emotionally to the best of my ability through a long period of unemployment due to the economic recession. Proud that we have a loving marriage that has lasted 9 years and going strong. Proud that we together are raising amazing, kind, sweet, polite children. They are wonderful because WE are doing a good job...I'm proud that I'm a good mother. I'm proud of the woman I've become. I'm proud of how hard I work to provide for my family. I'm proud that I am able, through my career, to hopefully help people through very difficult times.

My hope for this next year is that I can continue to be proud of myself. I will, in my moments of self-doubt and worry, look back at this post, and remind myself of how I feel in this moment, today. I deserve it.