What’s something you’ve done that your past self would be proud of?

If someone had told my younger self what life would look like today, I wonder what her reaction would have been. Would she smile? Cry? Or ask me if we could please have a little more money in our account? lol

Because, honestly, surviving this economy is an achievement on its own. At this point, waking up, handling responsibilities, and still having the energy to dream deserves some recognition.

But beyond surviving, there’s something else I’m proud of: I’m doing the things I love.

I’m creating, telling stories, sharing my thoughts through articles, and putting pieces of myself into poems. I’m giving life to ideas that might have remained tucked away in my mind if I’d allowed fear, doubt, or life’s endless responsibilities to keep me still.

And perhaps the most beautiful part is knowing that my words might be making a difference in someone’s life.

Maybe someone reads an article and sees their situation differently. Maybe someone finds comfort in a poem. Maybe a story makes someone laugh on a difficult day or reminds them that they aren’t alone in what they’re feeling.

I may not always know who my words reach or how deeply they resonate, but the possibility that they can make someone feel seen, understood, encouraged, or inspired means something to me.

And that’s what I want to keep doing: impacting lives, one story, one article, and one poem at a time.

Have I figured everything out? Absolutely not.

Am I where I want to be financially? Please, don’t provoke me.  lol

Do I still have dreams I’m working towards? Plenty!

But I’m here. I’m trying. I’m creating. I’m doing the things that make me feel alive, and I’m learning not to postpone my happiness until everything is perfect.

I think my past self would be proud of that.

Not because I’ve achieved everything she ever dreamt of, but because I’m still dreaming. Because somewhere along the way, I’ve found the courage to pursue what I love, even when the journey isn’t as smooth as I’d like.

Sometimes, we become so focused on the things we haven’t achieved that we forget to acknowledge the things we have. We compare our progress with other people’s milestones and convince ourselves we’re falling behind.

We forget that growth doesn’t always look like a promotion, a fat bank account, a dream house, or a passport filled with stamps. Sometimes, growth is finding the courage to start again. Sometimes, it’s choosing yourself, trying something new, or simply making it through a season you weren’t sure you’d survive.

And sometimes, it’s waking up one morning and realising that, despite everything life has thrown at you, you still have something to look forward to.

So, maybe the question isn’t just about what our past selves would be proud of. Maybe it’s also about whether we’re giving our present selves enough credit.

Because we can’t keep moving the goalpost until we forget to celebrate the journey.

And if I could tell that younger version of myself anything, I’d tell her this:

Look at us, girl. We’re still here. We’re surviving, we’re creating, and we’re doing something that matters to us.

I may not have achieved everything I dreamt of but I’m still dreaming. I’m still learning. I’m still becoming.

And honestly? That’s something to be proud of.

And I’m certain my younger self would look at me today, smile, and say, “Well done, Gloria.”