I'm Not Afraid to Talk About My Accomplishments, and That Doesn't Make Me Conceited

As a woman, I sometimes feel the societal pressure to quiet my accomplishments. A woman celebrating herself can be perceived as braggy, conceited, or stuck up, but knowing that only encourages me further. Women have to overcome obstacles specific to gender in so many aspects of life, and we should be proud of ourselves when we come out on top.

It’s no secret that it feels amazing to bask in the glory of success with others. Celebrating forward strides with the people who care about me validates a job well done and inspires me to keep grinding toward whatever is next. As long as I’m not being intentionally boastful or using my highs to overshadow someone else’s, I don’t think talking about my triumphs is harmful.

I’m a hard worker. I’ve worked multiple jobs and had side hustles galore since I was in high school, and I’m happy with where that’s taken me so far. I set wild goals and set up realistic steps to achieve them. I’m also not afraid to tell people what I want or communicate any issues, and I’m fiercely independent. I traveled solo through Europe at age 18 for three weeks on a trip I planned and paid for myself, and I now live in Hawaii away from every person I grew up with. I’m proud of the person I am and the things I’ve done to earn the life I have right now, and I will continue to work my ass off in order to keep growing.

I know my worth, my strength, and I also know the things I’ve had to overcome to get to where I am today. I’ve had to work through trauma and learn to cope with mental illness in order to get to a place where I could dream again, and now that some of my dreams are becoming a reality, I feel inclined to share my excitement with others.

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I don’t credit any achievement to myself alone. My faith leads me to pray for motivation, drive, and creativity each night, and my strength lies in the blessings I receive. It also helps that my parents raised me to be headstrong, determined, and always encouraged me to go for my goals – especially the scary ones. I believe that I have the power within me to see my wildest dreams unfold before my eyes, and I hope that in sharing each dream that comes true, it might help someone else realize the power they possess, too.

If we don’t talk about the successes we have as women, we are doing ourselves a disservice. I personally think that all of us badass women who are working our butts off and climbing the ladder should shout it from the rooftops until it’s normal. So, please, gush to me about the promotion you got at work, post on every social media outlet about your new business, and self-promote the heck out of yourself. Tell all of your friends when you finally kicked that bad habit, and make sure to post your progress pics at the gym to showcase that ass you worked so hard for. Sit back, smile, and remind yourself – you earned this.