I posted a comment last week on social media about being proud of myself.

That day’s accomplishment wasn’t massive, it was a small step in this huge adventure and challenge I have set myself, so I just wanted to say how proud I was of myself for pushing myself forward in this life, to take a moment to be a bit self indulgent. The achievement itself was only a day’s work, nothing in comparison to the hours (weeks!) of sweat and tears I put into getting my Yachtmaster, and a minor part when I think about how proud I am of myself after a fantastic day of teaching, when it clicks for my candidates, they absolutely excel, and I know I’ve made it happen.

And yet it seemed to resonate with people. I received words of encouragement and praise from people I didn’t know were following my story.

I think that perhaps what made people speak was the fact that I spoke first. I said I was proud of myself. I wasn’t afraid to be a bit bold and say I was happy with something I had worked to achieve, put myself forward for and promoted myself. I wasn’t demurely accepting congratulations from someone else, or indeed denying that I had done anything worthy at all.

In banking I was encouraged to follow a certain path; three years to Director, etc. But in many places you are just encouraged to be happy with the status quo, and it is sorely tempting to do that. What I have done over the last two and a half years is push myself forward, make myself better, ask for advice and assistance in stepping up, and accept that I might fail. But what I have discovered is that most of the time I excede my own expectations, I achieve more.

And I am proud to say it.