I was tidying my studio when an old piece of newspaper slipped out from a book. My cousin’s 11 year old face beamed back at me, with text announcing the latest stage role he’d landed.
I would have been ten when I snipped and saved this cutting. I must have been proud of him.
I sent a photo of the piece to my cousin, wondered if I’d told him at the time, or whether my pride for his achievement was celebrated 25 years late.
It made me think. When do I feel proud of the people around me? And do I ever tell them?
Card shops have long told us what to be celebrate - new babies, new houses, new jobs - but the pride I feel in friends and family is far more varied than that.
Most recently I’ve been proud of…
Friends that have started therapy
Friends that have ended relationships
Friends going back to work after a break
Friends that make really tasty cookies
Friends that are navigating new responsibilities
Friends that have had their work recognised with industry awards
Friends that have moved countries
Friends that have cycled across the world
Friends that have started writing
Friends that have stopped drinking
Friends that are managing sickness
Friends that are experiencing grief
Friends that have changed careers
Starting things and stopping things, big things and small things, the extremes and everything in-betweens. They all need celebrating.
I am part of a WhatsApp group filled with school friends where blowing our own trumpets and the trumpets of each other is actively encouraged. The love and buzz we all get from these ‘toot toots’ is infectious. It has made me realise that being genuinely happy for other people’s success is a great way to get a warm fuzzy feeling for yourself.
Who has made you proud recently? Have you told them? I’d love to know as I’m contemplating making a set of super niche congratulations cards. Because well dones can be run-of-the-mill-everyday-kind-of-things and not just saved for high days and holidays.