I often have people admire me for the way I celebrate and cheer for myself. I used to do mirror work with a friend, and she was always amazed at watching me say to my reflection, with genuine enthusiasm and joy, how much I love myself.
I know that can be hard for a lot of people, and there are certainly moments where it's hard for me too. But you don't have to start there. You can celebrate yourself for telling a joke, cooking a meal, doing exercise, or even for simply being a caring human with a good heart.
I consider self-celebration a superpower of mine—one that I use both for my own benefit and for my clients' benefit. That doesn't mean I never get down on myself. Of course, I do. I'm human, after all. And that makes it all the more valuable to practice self-celebration.
When you have a torrent of thoughts about how you’re not showing up, or on what you didn’t do well, you’re swimming in a toxic soup. It’s important to have something to stem the tide of those negative thoughts. When you practice enough, you'll find that it becomes more natural to start cheering for yourself than it is to beat yourself up. To look for what is right vs fixating on what is wrong.
Why is Self-Celebration Important?
We live in a world where validation often comes from external sources—whether it’s social media likes, approval from family and friends, or professional recognition. While these external forms of validation can feel good, they are fleeting and can lead us to seek constant outside approval. Self-celebration shifts that dynamic. It allows you to feel confident and grounded in who you are, regardless of external feedback. This inner validation fosters a deep sense of self-worth and resilience.
Self-celebration and validation are also closely linked to gratitude. When you celebrate yourself, you're expressing gratitude for who you are and what you’ve achieved, no matter how small the victory may seem. And gratitude has been proven to boost happiness, reduce anxiety, and increase emotional well-being. By cultivating this inner cheerleader, you’re able to reinforce positive self-perception and emotional strength.
Ways to Practice Self-Celebration and Validation:
Daily Affirmations: Write down or mentally list three things that you accomplished or feel proud of from your day. They don’t have to be monumental things. They could be as simple as, “I made time for myself today,” or “I tried my best in a challenging situation.”
Mirror Work: Look at yourself in the mirror and speak words of love, pride, or kindness. Start small if it's uncomfortable, but over time, it can be a deeply healing practice. Even simply saying, “I am proud of you,” can make a huge impact on your self-worth.
Celebrate Milestones, Big or Small: Don't wait for major achievements to celebrate yourself. Did you finish a workout? Tidy up your space? Handle a difficult conversation well? Did you do something just slightly better than the time before or did you gain a new awareness. All these things deserve acknowledgment, and each small celebration builds momentum for greater confidence and self worth.
Create a ‘Victory Jar’ or Journal: Write down wins or achievements no matter how big or small, and place them in a jar or journal. On difficult days, return to your collection of wins to remind yourself of all the successes you’ve had.
Check-in with Your Feelings: Part of self-validation is honoring how you feel, without judgment. Are you tired? Frustrated? Happy? Instead of pushing feelings aside, acknowledge them and give yourself permission to feel without criticism.
Take Time for Self-Compassion: When you make a mistake or face criticism, practice self-compassion. Instead of harsh self-judgment, ask yourself how you’d respond if a close friend was in the same situation. Extend that same grace to yourself.
Benefits of Self-Celebration:
Boosts Confidence: Celebrating yourself reinforces your self-worth, helping you step into the world with greater confidence.
Improves Emotional Resilience: When you cheer for yourself, you develop emotional resilience to bounce back from negative experiences faster.
Reduces Anxiety: By shifting your focus away from external validation and onto inner appreciation, you lessen the power of anxiety around approval and judgment.
Strengthens Positive Mindset: Self-validation rewires your brain toward positive thinking. The more you celebrate yourself, the more you focus on what's going right, instead of dwelling on what's going wrong.
Self-celebration is a skill, and like any skill, it grows with practice. The more you intentionally cheer for yourself, the more natural it becomes to focus on the good and celebrate your unique journey. Give yourself permission to be proud of who you are, in every moment.
Don’t leave me hanging—what’s your proudest moment this week?
Big or small, we want to cheer you on!
What’s one thing you’re proud of today?
I promise to do a dance in your honor!
So leave a comment or hit reply and share your latest win with me!
The photos below are a couple of the many shots I took of the sunset in front of my home the last two evenings. I'm thankful to live in such a beautiful place.
“It is interesting how often we can’t see all the ways in which we are being strong.”—Lena Dunham
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”—Buddha
“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”—Beyoncé
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey