Why do we think of pride as a negative emotion? The message I think we all get from culture, is that pride is a bad thing and something hide or feel ashamed of. The message is that pride makes you cocky and arrogant. The message I propose is that you SHOULD be proud of your accomplishments and SHOULD be comfortable discussing them with your friends and family!
Pride is defined as:
a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
Pride is knowing that you did a great thing or achieved a big accomplishment. It is knowing that you did the hard work needed to live with integrity. Pride is a necessary component of self-esteem and self-worth. Pride is not the same as bragging, bragging is when you take your pride too far and talk about it TOO much, to a degree of annoying others. Arrogance is taking pride and self-esteem too far, making it the only thing that matters in your life. Pride is simply recognizing your accomplishments and not being afraid to take ownership of the hard work you put in to achieve them!
That being said, I’d like to share the things I am most proud of:
- my work ethic (cue song from Flash Dance “she work’s hard for her money…”
- my sense of adventure and willingness to do hard things (ie: backpacking, hiking, home renovations, yard work)
- my sewing and cooking skills (my mom taught me so many homesteading skills!)
- my parenting (we are playing the long game, trying to instill values in our kids, even when giving them a tablet would be easier)
