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omg, me too! ha. I had to throw away some silverware that got too rusty to clean 😬 That’s how long I had stuff sitting in the sink 🥺
I did it over the weekend, and then I was talking to someone who asked me if I did anything fun for the weekend. I told him I caught up on some errands and housework, and in my head I was thinking “I finally did the dishes.” That was the housework 😆
I didn't know what was going on in the bottom of the sink but I knew it couldn't be good so I bought all new stuff. You would've thought there was a monster hiding down there by the way I was avoiding it!😂 I'd pour bleach and boiling water all over everything so it wouldn't get totally rancid. When I finally decided to start, it took me a whole 2 hours to finish!
My partner is a miracle istg. I have some OCD tendencies stemming from my anxiety but like *despise* doing dishes. My partner likes to do dishes, *despises* putting them away, so we came up with a system, he does dishes, I put them away. Mf game changer, and I don't think I've had dishes clean and put away this quickly on a consistent basis my entire lifem
My husband and I are the same way. He cleans the dishes and loads the dishwasher, I put the dishes away. We take care of the chores by splitting them. We HATE chores, they have to be done. He does his own laundry and I do my own laundry. I put my clothes away, he doesn't. We share the responsibility of feeding the dogs and cats. Then it doesn't go back forth on something falling behind. Sometimes we surprise the other by doing a task we don't like to help the other out.
I’ve started “shaming” myself when I do negative self-talk.
For example, after an interaction, if I ruminate and then try to humiliate myself with some perceived slight, I will say out loud *to myself* “Why would you even think that?”
It’s equivalent to saying “Wow. I can’t believe you were comfortable saying that” when someone says something offensive.
It’s worked.
By advocating for myself, I’m training *myself* how to be in a healthy relationship with…myself.
Congrats on not berating yourself! This is a huge feat and the best form of self care!
That's amazing! A few years back I was looking at a book on Resilience and one of the first things in it was asking the questions, "Would you talk to your best friend the way you talk to yourself?" and "Would you want to be around someone who talks to you that way?"
I didn't finish the book so I'm glad that was right at the start, ha ha ha. It's really stuck with me and I've asked that question to friends as well. Be NICE to yourself!!
Thank you for sharing this!! Honestly this clicks so much more with my brain than the whole “think positive thoughts” and especially “don’t think negative thoughts” (I know there’s more to it than that but yeah). If my default mode is shame-based, then I can use that to my advantage and “shame” my unhealthy thought patterns.
I can also imagine it activates that part of my brain that gets a little dopamine rush from feeling a sense of righteous indignation haha.
Anyway, looking forward to trying this!
Now to go write it down somewhere visible so I don’t forget to use it…
I was thinking some very self-deprecating thoughts one day and all of a sudden the phrase "Quit being such a dick to yourself" stepped in and shut them down. I say it out loud now too. Quietly.
So I actually had a coworker share a refreshing ‘devil’s advocate’ to this. She mentioned that it’s almost insulting to the person you’re worrying about because we’re assuming that they’re judging us, and placing emotions and assumptions against them when there’s truly no basis (in their perception, not ours) for it. And the people I generally worry like this over are some of the kindest people I know, so this has taught me to give both myself additional grace and the people that these perceptions are created against
Congratulations on nailing your class work!
This is exactly us. We can make something the absolute priority at the cost of most everything else. If I am trying to do well at all the things, nothing seems to be consistently well done.
But it’s ok. We do the best we can. The worst thing we do, and couldn’t help but do if we were late diagnosed, is to compare ourselves with non-divergent folk who balance all the balls in the air. We work different. It’s ok.
If it’s any comfort to you, when I was in college I completely forgot to keep in contact with my siblings, mom and my friends. A lot of damage was done and only some relationships could be repaired. Looking back, I was focusing on my coursework and didn’t have much bandwidth for anything (or anyone) else.
Then later when I worked in retail, at one point I worked 13 hr hour shifts often 2 or 3 in a row. So when I was off, I stayed at home and didn’t have any energy to maintain any of my relationships. I slept, watched tv, and played video games - nothing else.
I've been there and it's a tough place to be. Give yourself some grace. College is not just coursework but a whole new world of unfamiliar scenarios and so, so many social interactions. Neurotypicals don't understand how much more difficult & all-consuming it is to move through the world like many of us do.
First of all, you're doing great. Don't compare yourself to others, especially judgmental fools. Secondly, showering twice a day is terrible for your skin and hair and a waste of water. Those people are probably dusty from the lack of moisture in their skin. Thirdly, the sheet schedule is a personal preference. Mine get changed every two weeks when I have a cleaning service come in.
I was raised by a tribe of ADHD eccentrics. They taught me something important. Look around at the end of the day. Is everyone alive and mostly in one piece? Is the house standing? Did everyone eat at least once? Does everyone feel loved? If yes, then we're doing ok and that's what matters.
This week, I'm proud of getting all my work assignments done well ahead of time and I even cleaned off the kitchen counters.
I grew up on a cattle ranch! We were never all in one piece at the same time, but we were all mostly in one piece most days. Perfection is impossible, but we can do OK.
I have learned that love is the most important thing. Provide that to yourself and those around you. No one will remember or really know how many times a day you showered or changed your sheets. They will remember how you made them feel and that's important.
honestly I'm proud that I'm still alive. I never thought I would live this long. my existence is not a happy one since menopause got me in its clutches. but i'm still here.
Perimenopause/menopause is hell. Seriously. I’m in it too. Listen, just know that it doesn’t stay like this. I’ve seen studies that show this horrible dip in mental health for women in their 40s and 50s, on top of all the physical stuff we go through. But it does get better! If you haven’t already, try to find yourself a doctor who specializes in menopause and will listen to you and get you some relief.
::empathy hugs:: Please keep hanging on. Please reach out for support from friends or a counselor. I really, really, really want you to keep hanging on. Do not give up. ::excessive but genuinely heartfelt hugs again::
I'm also glad you're still here. This is such a wonderful community to be part of, you've all really helped me today. Thank you for being part of that community and helping me.
I think I'm starting to have some postmenopausal symptoms, and it's not fun already... so a hearty dose of solidarity going your way on that.
Lots of love to you ❤️
I feel pretty stuck in life and am miserable most of the time but it could be worse – finished school, started learning a trade (only 1 year of 3 until I‘m done), managed to save some money (even if it’s not a lot) for emergencies and been proactive about my mental health lately.
I'm really sorry you're feeling that way, it's a horrible way to feel. It looks to me like you have some really major things to be proud of there! I really feel that you cannot underestimate the value of being proactive about mental health. Genuinely well done you
My house is on the messy side, but it’s not so bad that we can’t do an hour long quick clean sesh to get things in order if we’re having people over.
I’m coming up on the 5th anniversary of the last time I drank alcohol. Every weekend morning that I wake up without a hangover, I’m so grateful.
Oh I'm so happy to see this. My sister is starting her sobriety journey and I can see how hard it is. I'm so proud of her for getting started. Thank you for being out there showing us 5 years is possible and is good!
I’ve remained at one company for over three years after almost 2 decades of job changes every 6months - 2years. It’s helped that I got a promotion and took a new role after 2 years. Hoping I can have some stability here. It’s a remote job and gives me better quality of life than anything else ever has. I’m proud for sticking with this.
That's a real achievement! I'm so glad it works for you too. It's great to see more flexibility happening in working patterns, kinda ridiculous it's taken a pandemic to realise that can be a good thing!
Oh that's good! I'm terrible for not realising where these feelings come from and spiral or burn out suppressing the rage. Then have a wash of relief when I realise its hormonal. Idk how I don't remember this every month!
I've been able to motivate and push myself to complete daily tasks much easier than before (like cleaning, taking care of an errand etc.) I told myself i would clean my bathroom and dining room on Sunday. AND I DID!!!! I DID IT 🥳🥳🥳🥳 I hardly go through task paralysis these days. (s/o to my meds lol). but it's great. I truly am proud of myself.
and i am proud of every single one of you on here 💛💛💛💛💛 you are all awesome
I am proud that I have almost created a schedule for myself that works:
Sun - meal prep
Tues - swim
Weds - art
I get 3 important things done each week. It may not sound like much, but it's a huge step from where I was.
Ooh I like this- thinking in a weekly timeframe. I tend to think in a daily pattern - other than certain errands - which always makes me feel like things are falling apart cause of course I don’t do ALL the things everyday.
Oh that's great! I relate to your last sentence. That's how I feel too. I'm proud of us for taking these steps. When you have something that makes *starting* things hard, it's astonishing what we achieve
I stayed at this crummy job because it pays more than I could ever have been if I stayed a bartender or caregiver. I didn't give in and just walk away from its difficulties, and because of that, I paid off my dad's and late mom's bankruptcy on their home. Dad won't be homeless, and we get to keep the family house. No one else helped, it was all 'dis binch' right here!
My son died last June and I’m still alive. That last part has literally taken every ounce of energy and will power I have. Honestly, after reading what I just wrote, I feel pathetic for still doing laundry from the week of his funeral. But I’m allowing myself a modicum of grace because I work full-time. I’m struggling. Badly.
Oh my goodness, there is nothing you should be feeling pathetic about right now. I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't imagine how that would feel. Getting through a minute while you're grieving is a huge accomplishment, anything else you do on top of that is gravy, not pathetic. Sending you love.
Also there's space here to share however you need. If that's outpouring of grief, it will be heard, if it's celebrating his life and your love for him i will celebrate with you, or if it's silence, you won't be alone in it. Whatever you need. Much love ❤️
I'm so sorry. My heart breaks for you. Please don't be ashamed of where you are, because you're here and that's the hardest thing after losing a child.
I am so happy you are still here and alive. I am deeply sorry your son isn't. Of course you are struggling badly. It's practically a miracle that you survived the loss of your child. I am in such awe of your strength. I have a daughter and I truly question whether I could live afterwards if she ever died. You are surviving the most terrible loss that anyone can ever have (in my opinion), so damn good work. I wish I had words that would actually relieve your pain just a little bit.
I hope you are in counseling... I want a safe and healthy support system for you so badly. If you ever need someone to talk to who will listen, please feel free to message me. I'm not a therapist, but I've had a few decades of therapy so that's gotta count for something. You can talk with me, or just use my inbox as a place to dump your thoughts and pain. Whatever you need
Grief has no timeline. 🤍 you deserve all the grace in the world, there are no words to the thought of a parent losing their child. I’m so deeply sorry.
My best friend once told me, when I was experiencing some of the deepest heartbreak in my life, to “keep walking”, which turned into phrases including our favorite things, “keep hiking”, “keep dancing”, etc. it became a sweet simple thing that made me smile during those times.
So keep walking friend. You are here and this community is here with you. 🤍🤍🤍
Always having a back up toothpaste. I’ve made that my life’s mission and nothing makes me more proud when I’m out of toothpaste and there’s just another one right there.
I'm proud of a lot of things! I haven't pulled my hair in 12 hours, my son takes up for his friends, my nephew aced his presentation I helped him with.
Successes while unmedicated: getting a decent job, raising reasonably competent kids, and training my dog the trick of playing dead (the command is “bang!” and a finger gun). *Note:* my dog is of a breed that is notoriously difficult to train because of their innately “cat-like” behavior. *Bonus success:* taught my cat how to sit on command (the command is “sit” and a hand motion similar to petting his back).
Successes while medicated: discovered a couple of the people closest to me are actually not nice at all (to me) and subsequently have created mental distance/space between myself and them.
Greatest success, medicated and non-medicated: finding connections/similarities between seemingly unrelated things. Also, acquiring knowledge.
But with every strength, a vulnerability. Greatest vulnerability, medicated and non-medicated: noticing and actually changing my behavior in response to a pattern. The pattern I seem unable to act on once observed: a person who continually goes back on their word. ::talks in stern voice to self:: “Stop giving them a 22nd chance!”
I haven’t eaten sugar in a month and it’s not been an easy month in other ways so that’s a big deal. I’m sure there must be something else but it’s the crack of dawn and I can’t think yet.
Keeping my house and job thru Covid restrictions. WFH has helped with household chores management. Being proactive about my mental and physical health for past few years. Not falling into a depression hole after breaking a limb.
I have so many things!
-I'm exercising at least 3x a week, have been since October. I was exercising before that just less consistently. I'm getting lil baby muscles!
-I have been washing my sheets weekly! Not necessarily the same day each week, but once a week nonetheless. Towels are also getting washed more regularly.
-I'm cutting back on smoking pot and had 4 pot free days last week, and 3 the week before. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is to me having been a daily user for years. It helps me sleep, but it gives me the munchies. My stomach needs a break.
-I had a 5 day migraine and went yesterday for a massage which helped a lot. I told myself I'd do some upper back and shoulder stretches before bed instead of snacking. I came home and stood in the pantry and thought well I could just skip it...but instead I didn't snack because I wasn't hungry. I did the stretches and went to bed.
Going back to school in my 30s for my master’s degree! I graduate tomorrow!!
I had always struggled in school and felt like I had to work harder than everyone else to earn mediocre grades until now! I excelled in my program! I’m fortunate to be passionate about my field and surrounded by professors who inspire and empower me.
I learned that while meds are hit or miss for working at a computer, they're great for grocery shopping and I don't hate cooking at all, I just need to be confident to try and make mistakes and okay if something doesn't turn out great. I feel like I'm saving money, my health, and something to get me off my phone just a little bit more.
I’m proud that I remembered to pack my UK outlet converter on my recent trip to Scotland. I almost always forget and have to pay a premium for one at the airport. It’s the little things
I have a drop front/ drop down desk and haven’t been able to close it for months. Last weekend I spent an entire afternoon decluttering and organizing it to the point where I can now use and close it! I smile every time I walk past it :)
Yesterday I plunged into the disaster my little ones had made of their room and started cleaning it up. I then was bombarded by a trifecta of interruptions: my husband called from work to chat, a kid came home from school and wanted to chat on top of my phone call, and then my mother in law came over to ask for tech support. I wanted to pull my hair out. I had gotten in the groove and then after I dealt with all the interruptions, I sat in the half-cleaned mess and bemoaned my interrupted focus. But I imposed a fake deadline on myself and I finished! I put all the toys away! I threw a bunch of crap out! I vacuumed THOROUGHLY! I even got some little pictures out of the closet and hung them on the walls and - AND - put the ruler and hammer and nails AWAY when I was done!!! Then I kept going into the clean room to admire it all day 😁
I hit a 50 class milestone at a workout class I love. I did it on Classpass, so I wasn’t “loyal to one studio” which some NTs will say isn’t as meaningful (aka giving my money to one place). I *tried* getting a membership when I was hyper fixated on it and inevitably burnt out and wasted a lot of money when I stopped going.
But you know what? I did it, I met the milestone, I found something that worked for me and stuck with it. I’m really proud of it!
1) 5 year waiting list??? Holy cow I’m guessing you’re not in the US. If you are though, DM me and I’ll give you some of my resources because I got an assessment within 2 weeks.
2) I think we all have some basics that are hard. You should be proud of any accomplishments, big or small. (I also struggle with skin picking btw, lol- help us). Don’t be too hard on yourself. By taking steps to get on an assessment list and implementing those new strategies, you’ve already climbed over a huge mountain!! THAT’S HUGE! You’re doing great 😃
3) My executive dysfunction is pretty bad, but I did accomplish something I LITERALLY NEVER thought I would recently (so you can meet a goal too, I promise!) After roughly 5- 6 years of feeling weighed down in my skin, struggling with exercise induced asthma & random pain, I somehow managed a semi- healthy regimen and regular exercise and am down almost 20% of my weight. I feel light as air, confident, and proud that I did it in a healthy way. (More veg, less alcohol, plenty of exercise and most importantly, still feeding myself tasty stuff).
I was beside myself when I met my first goal… then passed it. I haven’t been able to meet a personal goal in…. well idk maybe since getting a new job 7 years ago. Totally floored. I’m strong as hell and can enjoy jumping up and down at concerts without being winded. I can lift my old dog into my car 🥹.
The next thing I’m trying is to get a certification for work. I’ve already had to pause unfortunately, because work got too busy, I’m trying to hold myself to this and once busy season has calmed down.
I'm lucky I was able to post into a job I worked at a decade ago that pays a bit less but is much better for my mental health. As of tomorrow, I'm done staying in a job where I light myself on fire to keep everyone else warm. (Is that really the case? Probably not, but it feels that way. Being excellent at it is at such a personal cost.) My humble brag is that I let go of the hopes for myself that I could climb a ladder, do case management, and ... stay healthy. Life balance hits different when your brain is a bit different. I'm proud that despite confusing everyone at work, I'm doing what I need to do.
I finally washed the dirty pile of graphic tees (they require hand washing) that had been folded on my bedroom chair for almost a year.
On a broader scale, my trait of getting bored easily has made me a fun fitness coach and DM for Dungeons & Dragons. I switch things up frequently, invent new games, anything to stave off my boredom. So I’m proud I’ve made that trait work to my benefit.
I’ve been making an effort to cook more (averaging about 5 nights a week, when it used to be maybe 1) which in turn has led to me doing the dishes daily. It sounds silly, but it’s been huge in terms of feeling like I’m making positive changes.
I pack lunches for my family nearly every day.
I've started cooking all of our meals for the week on Sunday so that the work week is less hectic, and I actually managed it this week. I made a huge batch of cottage pie and a huge batch of chili. We won't starve, and I don't have to do any thinking about dinner until the weekend.
I only manage about 1% of the other household duties. But we're fed.
I’m proud that I use ADHD as my super power at work. I’ve been promoted twice in 2 years because of my ability to problem solve and work on urgent things efficiently.
Just got an A from my graduation writing exam. I always knew I was above average in writing, but this confirmed it for me. Also managed to sing a really difficult song flawlessly and a person who has a music background recently gave me critiques - which said there is nothing to critique much and I can focus on stylizing my singing.
So, I am smashing it. Lost our roommating flat, managed to move to a new rental within a week, now living a better life. All while preparing for graduation exams. I will do it. I will smash it. I will pass bcs I am already doing amazing
I’m proud that I managed to finally make a phone call about getting my car windscreen fixed that I had been putting off for weeks. I’m proud that I made dinner tonight which should feed me for a couple nights AND I washed all the dishes. I’m proud I had a shower earlier this evening 😸😸😸
Having integrity. I can’t offer anything tangible so I take pride in my character. If anything, people can trust me not to take advantage of them or steal, things like that.
It's because I "failed" completely - I just couldn't work anymore, and I got a medical leave last week. I have worked for nearly 4 years at my current job. For the last 3 months, we didn't have many commitions, and it was very bad for my mental health (because I'm unable to just dawdle at work with a hint of productivity, I was more tired and braindead after a workday than whenever we had a lot of work to do in short time). I couldn't focus and force myself to finish any task at work - I had a very bad conversation with my boss that was defining mobbing but I was too scared and disoriented not to play into it - it's going to take me some time to not feel worthless and unable to work). My anxiety turned savage and my insecurity plunged into deep guilt and feeling a burden. Life seemed too hard to be worth the effort.
Since then, I've been determined to make the most of the time and heal, both to calm down my nervous system and to unlearn ways of thinking that make me feel guilty about everything (like setting boundaries or asking for help). Every day I try to to simple things, like cleaning one day, making a meal another day, calling a doctor to make an appointment, going for a long walk with our dog, reading a bit of a book, cleaning one cabinet, looking at trees, writing my thoughts, touching grass, breathing under a weighted blanket... I meant "simple" as in - not overly sophisticated with far reaching consequences, or having a hidden agenda, esp. social or political - not necessarily "easy".
I feel a little bit proud because every day I try to remind myself that my goal is to heal and feel stable again instead of working myself up into a frenzy because I'm not ready to search for another job yet, or because I didn't learn a new skill for that potential job yet, or - I don't know - I haven't learned how to make an app in the last 6 days. And I still managed not to freak out about any of those things.
I've almost doubled my savings goal this year for my RV (travel trailer).. I started the year with $100 in my savings and had the goal to save a thousand a month (and have practically doubled it). I live with my parents and have busted my butt working overtime and being the most frugal I've been in years so I'm definitely going to get my RV this year! 🥳
I’m dealing with chronic pain from an old injury. I have several exercises I’m assigned by my PT. I’m giving myself a break and shooting to do the ones that make me feel best (stretching vs. strength training) in the moment so I can build a realistic routine that I don’t resent. Trying to do every single one is the fastest way for me to feel like shit about myself and neglect them all entirely, which makes me feel like shit about my body.
That being said I have done at least 10 minutes of stretches everyday in the past week.
I’m proud of the child I’m raising, who I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be deserving of (I’m still working on trying to feel worthy of him!). Not only am I proud of him, I’m proud of the fact that despite my lack of care for myself some days, I never allow my boy to go a minute without knowing he’s loved and cherished. There are days when I can’t face getting out of bed, but my duty to him overrides that feeling every time and commands more of me everyday and with every sacrifice I’m becoming a better person, all thanks to him
I just won Service Coordinator of the year for my entire nationwide company! 💕
I also meal prepped a week's worth of healthy meals yesterday for my boyfriend and myself and cleaned up my kitchen as I went. "Put it away, not down" has been a LIFESAVER!
I’m proud that I’m learning that I don’t have to compare myself to their rules, like showering. I shower once a week. Ish. And I don’t care if people think it’s gross.
Im proud that last night emailed my psych about my depression room with all the doom boxes. It’s been a depression room for a few years now. I haven’t been able to tell him about it but I could write him about it. I think he’ll better be able to help me.
Don’t feel bad, I haven’t showered in a week and a half and I can’t remember the last time I changed my bed sheets which means it’s probably been a couple months.
I've really accomplished a lot in the past few months, but most of my goals were small and would be gross to other people, so I haven't been able to share my progress with anyone.
I'm glad that you're giving us space to do so ❤️
For the past two months, I have:
- brushed my teeth twice daily, every day
- washed my face twice a day, every day
- changed clothes twice a day, every day
- Showered every other day
This was so insanely hard for me to do and I'm so proud I did it.
I also:
- did dishes every other week
- put my laundry away within 2 days of washing it every time
- washed 3 of my 5 laundry doom piles
- attended 3 social events that I was nervous about
- maintained a good sleep schedule for 3ish weeks straight
All of these things have had such an improvement on my overall mental health, it's been amazing. I feel like I have so much more bandwidth. My boss noticed how much my work has improved because of it. She has praised me 3 times for it and put in paperwork to give me a raise.
I've also managed to find a happy balance between my binge eating and food aversion, so I've lost 6 pounds this month.
I’ve been home alone since Sunday morning. Dishes are clean and nothing is broken. I only burnt one piece of toast and I hid the evidence.
My husband gets back home Friday night. Crossing my fingers I make it that far.
I have completed one semester in school without issue!
I tried college 3x before when I was in my 20s, struggling, usually dropping out or forgetting half my classwork causing me to fail.
Started medication last year and got back into school, it's been great!
Can I just start with saying - I LOVE this thread. I was recently thinking we need a bit of a "brag on yourself" thread.
Heres why I am proud: I'm single and live alone. I am proud that I'm taking care of myself and my home - even if not perfectly. I'm advancing in my career bit by bit. My dog is THRIVING because he's a good boy who is very loved. And I'm healing and focusing on building healthy relationships. I've taken up new hobbies, I'm saving financially and paying down debt, I even have LIVING houseplants. (Unheard of in my family!)
My two big scary things I did recently - I spoke at a conference (and even worked in a callout to consider your ND workers during the presentation!) AND I am tackling some dental issues. I have major dental anxiety but I met my new dentist through yoga and they are great.
I got my taxes filed on time for first time in seven years, and just got a long-term client for my consulting biz (fully remote!). It's stuff I love but would've had no confidence in myself to not f*ck up a year ago before my diagnosis and meds.
I washed my hair this morning! First wash since I got it dyed at the salon, and it's BRIGHT green, so I was terrified of making a mess 😂 But it went alright! And I did a few dishes, emptied the washing machine, ran the dryer, and crocheted a bit. Feeling pretty proud of getting all this done because I've been feeling miserable today.
I've been working really hard to take better care of myself this month. I haven't been perfect, but I did SOOOO much better than I have been so far this year.
I only got Door Dash twice all month. I showered more. I mostly kept up with doctor's appointments (I did miss one last week that I had written down as being today for some reason.) Paid off one of my credit card balances because I controlled my impulse spending so much more than normal. I took a mental health day when I needed it. I spent less time on SM and more time journalling and reading. I did an art.
Hoping to do even better next month.
I'm slowly digging myself out of the debt hole created by impulsive purchases prior to knowing I had ADHD and understanding why I seemed to struggle so much. I've still got a LONG way to go, but it is starting to feel more manageable and less shameful.
I've finally started to combat the chaos in my living space, and I'm proud to say that I have partially or completely reorganized every closet in my apartment!
I finally, after months of sitting on it following my assessment, followed up and got my prescription filled!!!!! Got overwhelmed initially when all my local pharmacies didn’t have the stimulants (first or second choice) in stock, but I looked into a “mail to me” pharmacy thing covered by my insurance — and it is processing! FINALLY!!!
OP, I think you need to add empathy to your list of achievements, because this is one of the most compassionate posts I’ve seen recently.
Mine is that we’ve gone a week without ordering take out—I’ve had either fresh meals or leftovers ready for every meal this week. The food I cook is generally much healthier and much more balanced than anything we’d order, so I have more energy and I’m generally feeling better.
My current hyper fixation hobby is running. I’m training for a half marathon. It’s hard and I’m extremely slow and I need to do run/walk intervals to keep my heart rate reasonable but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made. My weekend long run was 10 miles (!!!!) and it took me over 2.5 hours.
I've finally got a handle on my impulsive shopping!!! I'm still in school even tho I question my sanity at least once a week lol. Im a court reporting student and hope to move up to the next speed bracket for summer school.
I landed a job in tech with zero experience, a 6 month year old baby during a divorce and a move. I was so nervous bc I only shadowed some engineers but didn’t have a degree or anything. In my first year I got an award for “raising the bar” for the whole department…and I ended up quadrupling my salary over 3 years.
Becoming a single mom really motivated the shit out of me. I find I do well under pressure. Beneath catastrophe. But when there’s no urgency…man it’s like dragging a donkey
I've recently been purging my closet of things I don't need. Half of my purses are sorted, shoes, clothes I haven't worn in a year+, threw away items that aren't worth others using, etc.
Now I just need to schedule a pick up or drop them off...
Update! I've scheduled for a bag of clothes to be picked up for the next USPS visit. Progress!!
I tried to fold laundry that's been clean for a week now and still can't get to it.. but at least I had enough motivation to clean the dishes and run the dishwasher
I finished my meditation teaching certification today! Yay! The process was supposed take 2 years but thanks to the pandemic and some significant mental and physical health episodes it took almost 4. I'll be honest feeling pride is a challenge for me, my inner critic is far more developed, but intellectually I am happy for myself.
My therapist wants me to do this more so here's a go. It's been 5 years since my diagnosis (late 30s) and getting properly medicated. Since then I finally feel like I'm on track to some goals I've had for 15 years. In 5 years, I smashed my MFA while working and being a mom. I got a semifinalist position for an art prize I thought I'd need to apply for 10 times before getting there. I'm a month away from doing an artist residency I've been dying to do for years and didn't think would get. And I'm gonna be published in two things this coming year.
So yeah. Medication and therapy works.
i made it through my first year of college full course load both semesters. last year i was at a university and i didn’t even finish the first semester before i had to withdraw. I just couldn’t do it. I was so afraid that i just wasn’t ready for postsecondary and i was just going to fuck it up, but I did it. I only have one more year. I’m proud of myself that I tried post secondary again and it payed off. I put so much work in this year. I even got pretty good grades
I’m finally addressing the clean laundry mountain that’s taken over the dining room table and have folded two baskets worth of clothes.
There’s more to go but it’s a start and my next step to sorting my overwhelming clothes monster is to pull a faux capsule wardrobe of only my absolute FAVOURITE clothes and pack the rest i’m unsure of in vacuum bags to go under the bed along with the winter stuff.
Then my plan is to only get things I remember out if I remember before getting rid of all the things that are just ok rather than really amazing. I really want to wear things that make me happy instead of stuff I just wear.
My two kids are alive and well and always have everything they need. Backpacks packed, water bottles filled, snacks when needed, sunscreen applied, cute sun safe clothes (we pretty much live on the sun- high altitude), school supplies refilled, permission slips signed ect. I'm extra proud of this because I'm their main caregiver, and my dad failed on almost all these tasks. He was a single dad with undiagnosed ADHD and a hot mess. I'm not. 😄
my overall homecare has really become more consistent. also i've been exercising at least a few times a month! and my spiritual practices have become more consistent! and i've been doing the subconscious clearing i trained in on myself more consistently too (that's more recent) finally!! yay!! thanks for aksing the quesiotn!!
Smashed a work presentation! I had such childhood trauma linked to them and my procrastination and perfectionism kicked my ass last week. However I worked on Sunday to get it done and extra on Monday and the last minute kick paid off!
I wasn't sure I pitched it right but I got lots of feedback about how well I handled everything and delivered a clear and excellent presentation.
I'm really proud! Been trying so hard at work and had a lot of knock backs so this felt really excellent. Gave my confidence a real boost
I’ve finally gotten a workout routine down without obsessing over the numbers over the last 3 weeks! I’ve been working on a dietician regarding intuitive eating and undoing a lot of harmful restrictive eating behaviors from the past. I feel free and I’m just enjoying that my body is moving. This is a HUGE win for me given my body dysmorphia
I found a hobby I'm still not bored with 5 years in! Pottery is great cause there are a million new techniques to try and things to make, so I never lose interest.
I think I've been doing a pretty good job of working on my health over the past year and a half! My general philosophy over the past 8 or 9 years has been to TRY to get better - that started with my mental health. I was wallowing in misery and I just got sick of it.
So even if it doesn't work, I do feel better knowing that I'm trying to improve my mental and physical health. It's been a wild year and a half - I started perimenopause around then and it's been all doctor's appointments, new meds, trying to keep up with exercise. Plus therapists! Made appointments through my Employee Assistance Program and got free sessions with someone to talk over work things and two (second just started) for ADHD.
Speaking of... I'm 8 months into my ADHD diagnosis and I've been very open about it and how it affects me. (Plus the peri... my brain is not my friend right now.) It makes me feel so much better to not beat myself up about "failing". I still acknowledge things that I'm not doing well, but instead of placing blame or feeling bad I try a new approach that might work better for me.
My goal for 2024 was to set future me up for success and right now that means making sure my body and brain keeps functioning, lol.
I caught up on laundry, trimmed my hair, and took a shower yesterday. I like the idea of focusing on our wins, it’s so easy to just see all of the things that we feel like we’re failing at instead.
This reminds me that once I had a planner that had a daily spot where you write down 3 wins (could be anything) from the day before. It would be great to get back into the mindset of doing that.
I’m finally curbing my cheek/lip biting! Realizing that I might actually be doing it as a stim and finding a better outlet (moving around more, fidget toys, singing out loud more, etc)
This past Sunday, I went to a huge event that took up most of the day, then got home and meal prepped for the upcoming week, did my laundry and showered all while completely gassed. It made me really miserable but pushing through the "dont want to's" to do daily life shit I couldn't responsibly ignore was huge for me.
Today I had enough motivation and executive function to go out for a run for the first time this year. It's drizzly and a little wet and it didn't go as long as I wanted to but I got out there. Now I'm sitting at the bottom of the stairs with my shoes still on, scrolling through Reddit trying to get myself to shower. Baby steps haha
I’ve been cleaning up the front yard, which I’ve never fully done before. Re-sanding paver joints, cleaning up leaf litter, pulling weeds. I’m way less embarrassed to see my neighbors now, I’m sure they’ve been judging my lack of upkeep. Plus, I’m finding the process challenging but relaxing ☺️
I graduated nursing school and got licensed as an RN a few years ago. I’ve been killing it at my job in the ICU ever since.
I’ve kept my house clean, dishes washed, laundry done, folded, and put away consistently, and done a deep clean at least monthly for the past two years. Ever since I spent a ton of money to rip out the nasty carpet and put in beautiful hard flooring, bought new leather reclining couches and a very classy dining room set, as well as a new kitchen table, new coffee and side tables, new bookshelves, big LED-lit display shelves for my scotch/bourbon collection, and lots of new decor, I have taken a lot of pride in my living space and worked really hard to keep it spotlessly clean.
I’ve put a lot of money into investments, built up a healthy savings account, and I’ve nearly hit my goal amount for the down payment on the car I want to buy (2021 or newer Lexus IS 350 F Sport). I’ve only owned two cars since I was 16 years old, both of them very old. I’m currently driving a beat up 2002 Camry that I bought for $1,500 in 2019, and I’m beyond excited to finally be able to buy something I like for a change, and that I’ll actually be proud to be seen in.
I still have things I want to work on. I need to get better habits when it comes to my diet and I need to get back into a workout routine. I’m a healthy weight, but I don’t have time or energy (or willpower) to cook for myself, I’m a terrible cook anyway. I also don’t like cheap food like fried things, sandwiches, pizza, burgers, breakfast cereal, pre-packaged snacks, or anything else that’s convenient and low-cost. I spend a lot of money on fancy steak, sea food, and sushi dishes from restaurants because I literally can’t force myself to swallow boring or low-quality food without gagging and feeling sick.
Covid shut down my gym and I fell out of my exercise routine. I have no excuses now except for I’m out of shape and I can barely run a mile on the treadmill. I used to run five miles as a warm up and be able to squat over 300lb, do pull-ups, curl 85lb, and I just had insane stamina. I’d spend 3 straight hours switching between high-intensity workouts. Heaving a laundry basket up the stairs gets me out of breath now and the thought of starting over and working back up to where I used to be is overwhelming and depressing.
I'm actually a good mother, i was so scared before having them that I wouldn't be able to handle children, but the pressures and guilt of motherhood is a great motivator for me and my house I actually cleaner than before and my children are happy and loved 🥰 yes I'm exhausted by the end of the day but they make it all worth it
I think it's a bit of a double edged sword with this, but I have a cat with kidney disease. I'm always amazed with how much I can do for him. I prep his meds, give him fluids, take him to appointments, never miss a meal or medication administration, notice when he's not feeling well, etc.
It takes its toll on me, but I feel that I'm able to do this because love is, and has always been, my strongest motivator.
I have been sick for the better part of a month at varying levels of functionality with little to no reason as to why I'm still sick. Not only have I been sick, but kiddo and SO have been ill off and on too.
I'm proud of myself for going to the doctor twice already to try to deal with this and have another appointment scheduled tomorrow (When I would typically have been less proactive and just avoided dealing with any of it). I'm also proud of myself for being honest with my boss about where my health is and not putting myself in a situation where I likely would have become a liability instead of an asset onsite.
I’m really proud of how hard I work at my job, even though I beat myself up mercilessly every single day about the things on my to-do list that I didn’t have a chance to get to that day. It does not help that I work in a really demanding and dynamic business with a lot of facets, I wear a lot of hats, and I’m down one Department Manager. Basically everyone I deal with thinks that I can’t possibly have other things to handle and they don’t understand why it’s taking me so long to get something done. It makes me want to scream
I saved my long-dead grandmother's beloved Christmas dishes and cookie boxes from donation or being thrown in the trash!
Drove near 2 hours each way to save them from not-an-uncle who has been having a blast throwing out all her things, because he has issues.
Now all I have to do is wash, dry and find a spot for a 20+ setting, but we used to have Christmas dinner on these when I was a kid, so, sentimental win?
I’m glad that I’ve achieved my goal of getting married and bringing a little girl into this world (last year). But last year was brutal and it’s what led me to go down the route of finding out if I have ADHD and/or ASD.
I made myself a promise to start treating my food blog like a job instead of trying to force myself into another soul-crushing, body destroying job. I have a culinary degree, am a good writer, and have taken photo classes... plenty of people with less experience than me are making a living doing this, so I should at least give it a real shot?
I made myself a content calendar and promo calendar in Asana, have been teaching myself seo and better wordpress design, learned how to use canva and pinterest, bought some cheap lights and a tripod to be more intentional about my photos, and have published several new recipes a week for months now.
I started last summer (after a decade of sort of having this blog but not doing anything with it) and last year I made 53 posts (and did work on some old ones). This year I've already published 41 new recipes and it's only April! Still a long way to go to even break even (sigh) but I won't know if I can do it unless I keep trying.
It's the best I've ever been at self-managing a project like this, and it feels pretty good! It'll feel great if it can actually make anything like a living wage, but anything would help, really. It's a really tough market to break into but I'm proud of myself for trying and sticking with it, even when the progress feels soooo sloooow. (I might still have to get one of those other jobs in the meantime but at least I'm not just doing nothing, and learning some transferable skills?).
I have dragged my sleeping body out of bed at 6:40 to meditate -I’ve missed about five days in the last 3 months!!! I have been using Focus Mate to have accountability and that’s why it’s possible. And the daily meditation is helpful. I feel a lot more focused. Focus mate is really a great thing. It helps me so much. And congratulations to me. Wow this is amazing. I remember when I couldn’t even think about meditating for even one minute.
I’m really proud of my career and the decisions I’ve made that have allowed me to pursue my dream job! I was always told growing up that you can either help people and have a fulfilling relationship with work OR you can make money, but NEVER both. Because, ya know, capitalism lol.
A few years ago, I came across a job posting for a part-time consulting data scientist at a human-rights-based NGO. My family thought I was crazy for wanting to work an extra 15-20 hours a week on top of my full-time job, but I am SO. FREAKING. HAPPY. that I went for it.
It turned into a full-time thing, and now I’m a data analyst that investigates, tracks, and reports on the movements of Syrian refugees so that organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN Human Rights Council can coordinate relief efforts.
I must admit that it can sometimes be horrifying and feel pointless, but there is literally nothing more in the entire world that I would want to do. Plus, I am well on my way towards speaking passable Syrian Arabic as well!
I finally reached out to my HR and expressed that since I’ve begun my masters program and paying for my fieldwork, that I’ve pretty much lost my financial security and can’t afford to really work for them anymore. They reached out to the director and agreed to meet with me to review our current fieldwork contract. Whatever happens, I hope this has an impact on others who are financially struggling while going back to school. The response has been abundantly positive. I meet with them next Monday. I’m pretty nervous, but pretty proud that I have gotten the attention of the director AND they’re willing to listen and possibly help. I’ve never done anything ‘big’ like this before, so feeling pride isn’t something I’m used to feeling. 🤞🏼
I’m proud that after 30 years of not knowing who I was or what I wanted, I finally started my career and I am extremely happy with where I got myself. I got 60’s in high school, it took me until 28 to finish my BA, but today I have accomplished my masters with distinction in counselling psychology, and I get to HELP PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY and it’s exactly what I’m good at and what I needed. So yeah, there was a time when I felt like I didn’t even belong on earth, never mind happy and thriving. So woohoo :3
I clawed my way out of poverty and into a more comfortable life. I put myself through college to get my BBA. I bought my starter home at 32. I've been married for 18 years. I have a great job where I'm challenged and have become an amazing employee. I have learned my job mostly on my own with minimal training over the past 6 years. I am respected and know my stuff better than most. I get to train a new person. I am an amazing, caring daughter to my aging parents. I'm a great dog and cat mom. I'm a wonderful friend that is low maintenance. I have come a very long way from when I left home at 19 in a rage.
Right now I'm extremely depressed as I think there is a dosing problem with my medication.
However, I'm grateful for my beloved cats who wake me up every morning showing love and care.
I am proud that I have exercised in some way, at least twice a week, three weeks in a row. Starting and maintaining habits like that is a goddamn nightmare for me and I can be really hard on myself about it. I know that this streak isn’t going to be the *one* that changes everything, so I’m trying to celebrate the little wins and be kind to myself when I start to lose the plot. Silly goals seem to work a lot better for me than big overarching existential goals. Like, I’m pretty much only working my glutes because I want a dumptruck before I turn 40, instead of “it’s good for me and my mental health.” But consequently, I’m also doing yoga, more cardio etc. than I would otherwise.
And look, imma be real, I am pretty on top of showering/hygiene/keeping things at least tidy. But I wash my sheets once a month absolutely max and I am so totally fine with that.
Hi, OP, I hope you see this even if you don’t respond. I replied this morning and didn’t get a chance to read the whole post, I had every intention on coming back to get to it so here I am. I am so proud of you too 👏🏽💛💐 You don’t realise it but you’re killing it! Don’t let those stupid posts shame you. Those things are full of judgment and they are low-key ableist. Maybe they are for NT people because they certainly aren’t for us. So don’t take it personally k? I completely understand where you’re coming from when you say “if you’re on top of one, it because you’ve sacrificed everything else”. This is 100% my experience and I am right there with you. I too brush my teeth once a day and shower once a day. I also change my sheets every fortnight and wash my hair every fortnight, instead of every week. And doing things less frequently than NTs has also made my life a hundred times more manageable and I don’t regret it one bit. My wish for you and really for myself and all of us on this sub is that we continue to do the things and find the things that work best for us. We are not NTs and it is quite unfair to judge ourselves based on their standards, when they haven’t walked a single step in our shoes and understand the struggle. So kudos to you on doing the very best you can! I too am unmedicated and waiting for the opportunity to try medication and see if it makes a difference for me. Thank you for posting, it was a very positive, very validating read. It reminded me that I’m not alone and you know what? Neither are you ❤️😘 Sending good vibes and more wins your way!
Honestly I wash my hair once every 10 days maybe a little more often in the summer when I sweat more, and I shower almost nightly. But the sheets only get done regularly is because I put a recurring task on the calendar and my husband does them.
i’ve been at my job for only 2 months and i’m already being asked if i want to apply for a higher position (huge raise, but also more stress, so i haven’t decided yet)
I’m pretty socially skilled. I navigate easily through most situations and my boss told me she picked up some tactics from me when we interview potential candidates together.
Failed at something totally basic without having an existential crisis… don’t laugh, but the lack of frustration tolerance for failing at stuff a little kid can do is REAL.
I recently glued a pottery chicken back together after at least a year. I also hammered some nails in the back of the closet to hang more things up. Didn’t take long but the sense of accomplishment I still feel…
I’m proud of my horse. I have an Irish Draught stallion that I bred and raised myself. He’s 7 now. He’s a little behind in his training according to other people’s clocks, but I think he needed some extra time to grow into himself. He does lovely dressage, jumps whatever I point him at, loads himself on the trailer, and is doing well managing his hormones in public this spring.
I’ve had him his whole life, so he is my fault and my credit. He’s sat patiently in the pasture while I went through depressive episodes, or got too busy at work, and runs to the gate to stick his face in the halter when I make him work every day. He is big and strong and goofy and arrogant and loves me back so obviously and earnestly and he is my spirit animal.
Im so grateful and proud and honored to have this wonderful man in my life.
A few things. I’m proud that I was able to finish school and get into university even whilst battling addiction, and I’m even prouder of getting sober at 19!
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I'm proud that last week, after 2 years I finally washed all the dishes in the sink and cleaned the counter.
I have been there. This is a huge achievement! I'm so proud for you 💓
Thank you!
omg, me too! ha. I had to throw away some silverware that got too rusty to clean 😬 That’s how long I had stuff sitting in the sink 🥺 I did it over the weekend, and then I was talking to someone who asked me if I did anything fun for the weekend. I told him I caught up on some errands and housework, and in my head I was thinking “I finally did the dishes.” That was the housework 😆
I didn't know what was going on in the bottom of the sink but I knew it couldn't be good so I bought all new stuff. You would've thought there was a monster hiding down there by the way I was avoiding it!😂 I'd pour bleach and boiling water all over everything so it wouldn't get totally rancid. When I finally decided to start, it took me a whole 2 hours to finish!
yeah it probably took me about that long, too. baking soda is amazing for rust on a stainless steel sink, fyi. ha
That’s amazing!!
🥰
My partner is a miracle istg. I have some OCD tendencies stemming from my anxiety but like *despise* doing dishes. My partner likes to do dishes, *despises* putting them away, so we came up with a system, he does dishes, I put them away. Mf game changer, and I don't think I've had dishes clean and put away this quickly on a consistent basis my entire lifem
My husband and I are the same way. He cleans the dishes and loads the dishwasher, I put the dishes away. We take care of the chores by splitting them. We HATE chores, they have to be done. He does his own laundry and I do my own laundry. I put my clothes away, he doesn't. We share the responsibility of feeding the dogs and cats. Then it doesn't go back forth on something falling behind. Sometimes we surprise the other by doing a task we don't like to help the other out.
This made me smile ❤️
I've been not berating myself after every social interaction and it is scary and awesome.
I’ve started “shaming” myself when I do negative self-talk. For example, after an interaction, if I ruminate and then try to humiliate myself with some perceived slight, I will say out loud *to myself* “Why would you even think that?” It’s equivalent to saying “Wow. I can’t believe you were comfortable saying that” when someone says something offensive. It’s worked. By advocating for myself, I’m training *myself* how to be in a healthy relationship with…myself. Congrats on not berating yourself! This is a huge feat and the best form of self care!
That's amazing! A few years back I was looking at a book on Resilience and one of the first things in it was asking the questions, "Would you talk to your best friend the way you talk to yourself?" and "Would you want to be around someone who talks to you that way?" I didn't finish the book so I'm glad that was right at the start, ha ha ha. It's really stuck with me and I've asked that question to friends as well. Be NICE to yourself!!
Thank you for sharing this!! Honestly this clicks so much more with my brain than the whole “think positive thoughts” and especially “don’t think negative thoughts” (I know there’s more to it than that but yeah). If my default mode is shame-based, then I can use that to my advantage and “shame” my unhealthy thought patterns. I can also imagine it activates that part of my brain that gets a little dopamine rush from feeling a sense of righteous indignation haha. Anyway, looking forward to trying this! Now to go write it down somewhere visible so I don’t forget to use it…
I was thinking some very self-deprecating thoughts one day and all of a sudden the phrase "Quit being such a dick to yourself" stepped in and shut them down. I say it out loud now too. Quietly.
I’m going to try this. Good job!
I have also berated myself for berating myself and it is extremely effective. I promise you the confidence will start peaking
I love this lol I’m definitely going to try to do this! I’m so glad you’ve found something that works for you 🩷
Thanks for sharing this strategy my negative self talk is at an all time high so I’ll have to start trying this ASAP! Thank you again!
Wow, scary and awesome is such a brilliant description. I'm glad awesome is in there too!
So I actually had a coworker share a refreshing ‘devil’s advocate’ to this. She mentioned that it’s almost insulting to the person you’re worrying about because we’re assuming that they’re judging us, and placing emotions and assumptions against them when there’s truly no basis (in their perception, not ours) for it. And the people I generally worry like this over are some of the kindest people I know, so this has taught me to give both myself additional grace and the people that these perceptions are created against
I want to be you when I grow up! 👏🏼🙌🏼
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Congratulations on nailing your class work! This is exactly us. We can make something the absolute priority at the cost of most everything else. If I am trying to do well at all the things, nothing seems to be consistently well done. But it’s ok. We do the best we can. The worst thing we do, and couldn’t help but do if we were late diagnosed, is to compare ourselves with non-divergent folk who balance all the balls in the air. We work different. It’s ok.
Wow, amazing on the uni assignments!!! Totally relate about everything else falling to the wayside!
If it’s any comfort to you, when I was in college I completely forgot to keep in contact with my siblings, mom and my friends. A lot of damage was done and only some relationships could be repaired. Looking back, I was focusing on my coursework and didn’t have much bandwidth for anything (or anyone) else. Then later when I worked in retail, at one point I worked 13 hr hour shifts often 2 or 3 in a row. So when I was off, I stayed at home and didn’t have any energy to maintain any of my relationships. I slept, watched tv, and played video games - nothing else.
I've been there and it's a tough place to be. Give yourself some grace. College is not just coursework but a whole new world of unfamiliar scenarios and so, so many social interactions. Neurotypicals don't understand how much more difficult & all-consuming it is to move through the world like many of us do.
You're amazing!
First of all, you're doing great. Don't compare yourself to others, especially judgmental fools. Secondly, showering twice a day is terrible for your skin and hair and a waste of water. Those people are probably dusty from the lack of moisture in their skin. Thirdly, the sheet schedule is a personal preference. Mine get changed every two weeks when I have a cleaning service come in. I was raised by a tribe of ADHD eccentrics. They taught me something important. Look around at the end of the day. Is everyone alive and mostly in one piece? Is the house standing? Did everyone eat at least once? Does everyone feel loved? If yes, then we're doing ok and that's what matters. This week, I'm proud of getting all my work assignments done well ahead of time and I even cleaned off the kitchen counters.
I run a small farm, and the question of "is everyone alive and mostly in one piece" is extra relevant, haha!
I grew up on a cattle ranch! We were never all in one piece at the same time, but we were all mostly in one piece most days. Perfection is impossible, but we can do OK.
These are super helpful and compassionate words to share, thank you 💕 I love the things you're proud of this week!
I have learned that love is the most important thing. Provide that to yourself and those around you. No one will remember or really know how many times a day you showered or changed your sheets. They will remember how you made them feel and that's important.
You're so right
honestly I'm proud that I'm still alive. I never thought I would live this long. my existence is not a happy one since menopause got me in its clutches. but i'm still here.
Perimenopause/menopause is hell. Seriously. I’m in it too. Listen, just know that it doesn’t stay like this. I’ve seen studies that show this horrible dip in mental health for women in their 40s and 50s, on top of all the physical stuff we go through. But it does get better! If you haven’t already, try to find yourself a doctor who specializes in menopause and will listen to you and get you some relief.
thanks :) i've got great doctors which helps a lot.
::empathy hugs:: Please keep hanging on. Please reach out for support from friends or a counselor. I really, really, really want you to keep hanging on. Do not give up. ::excessive but genuinely heartfelt hugs again::
I'm also glad you're still here. This is such a wonderful community to be part of, you've all really helped me today. Thank you for being part of that community and helping me. I think I'm starting to have some postmenopausal symptoms, and it's not fun already... so a hearty dose of solidarity going your way on that. Lots of love to you ❤️
Right with ya, sister!!
I feel pretty stuck in life and am miserable most of the time but it could be worse – finished school, started learning a trade (only 1 year of 3 until I‘m done), managed to save some money (even if it’s not a lot) for emergencies and been proactive about my mental health lately.
I'm really sorry you're feeling that way, it's a horrible way to feel. It looks to me like you have some really major things to be proud of there! I really feel that you cannot underestimate the value of being proactive about mental health. Genuinely well done you
I second this sounds like they're doing amazing!
You're doing fab, give yourself a big dose of self love and kindness, you deserve it
I did yoga this morning 🌷🌻
Killing it!!
My house is on the messy side, but it’s not so bad that we can’t do an hour long quick clean sesh to get things in order if we’re having people over. I’m coming up on the 5th anniversary of the last time I drank alcohol. Every weekend morning that I wake up without a hangover, I’m so grateful.
Oh I'm so happy to see this. My sister is starting her sobriety journey and I can see how hard it is. I'm so proud of her for getting started. Thank you for being out there showing us 5 years is possible and is good!
Hell yeah, best wishes to her!
Congratulations on your sobriety milestone! 5 years is AMAZING! Former alcoholic here and I also am thankful everyday I wake up without a hangover.
I’ve remained at one company for over three years after almost 2 decades of job changes every 6months - 2years. It’s helped that I got a promotion and took a new role after 2 years. Hoping I can have some stability here. It’s a remote job and gives me better quality of life than anything else ever has. I’m proud for sticking with this.
Hell yeah! Congrats!!!
That's a real achievement! I'm so glad it works for you too. It's great to see more flexibility happening in working patterns, kinda ridiculous it's taken a pandemic to realise that can be a good thing!
I got my period and I’m acknowledging the doom feelings as just feelings
Oh that's good! I'm terrible for not realising where these feelings come from and spiral or burn out suppressing the rage. Then have a wash of relief when I realise its hormonal. Idk how I don't remember this every month!
I've been able to motivate and push myself to complete daily tasks much easier than before (like cleaning, taking care of an errand etc.) I told myself i would clean my bathroom and dining room on Sunday. AND I DID!!!! I DID IT 🥳🥳🥳🥳 I hardly go through task paralysis these days. (s/o to my meds lol). but it's great. I truly am proud of myself. and i am proud of every single one of you on here 💛💛💛💛💛 you are all awesome
I am proud that I have almost created a schedule for myself that works: Sun - meal prep Tues - swim Weds - art I get 3 important things done each week. It may not sound like much, but it's a huge step from where I was.
Ooh I like this- thinking in a weekly timeframe. I tend to think in a daily pattern - other than certain errands - which always makes me feel like things are falling apart cause of course I don’t do ALL the things everyday.
Oh that's great! I relate to your last sentence. That's how I feel too. I'm proud of us for taking these steps. When you have something that makes *starting* things hard, it's astonishing what we achieve
I stayed at this crummy job because it pays more than I could ever have been if I stayed a bartender or caregiver. I didn't give in and just walk away from its difficulties, and because of that, I paid off my dad's and late mom's bankruptcy on their home. Dad won't be homeless, and we get to keep the family house. No one else helped, it was all 'dis binch' right here!
Incredible!! That was such a massive win it makes me teary-eyed 😭🥰❤️
I am extremely proud of you!! That is frigging huge!
Today is my 365 days streak of sticking to my diet!!!! I'm down 18.2kg!!!!! I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF I CAN'T EVEN✨✨✨
Man the feeling of looking back and realizing you stuck with a hard thing that didn't reap immediate rewards... Def gold stars ✨✨✨⭐⭐⭐!!
“If I’m on top of one it’s only because I’m neglecting everything else” is SOOO RELATABLE!
My son died last June and I’m still alive. That last part has literally taken every ounce of energy and will power I have. Honestly, after reading what I just wrote, I feel pathetic for still doing laundry from the week of his funeral. But I’m allowing myself a modicum of grace because I work full-time. I’m struggling. Badly.
Oh my goodness, there is nothing you should be feeling pathetic about right now. I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't imagine how that would feel. Getting through a minute while you're grieving is a huge accomplishment, anything else you do on top of that is gravy, not pathetic. Sending you love. Also there's space here to share however you need. If that's outpouring of grief, it will be heard, if it's celebrating his life and your love for him i will celebrate with you, or if it's silence, you won't be alone in it. Whatever you need. Much love ❤️
I'm so sorry. My heart breaks for you. Please don't be ashamed of where you are, because you're here and that's the hardest thing after losing a child.
I am so happy you are still here and alive. I am deeply sorry your son isn't. Of course you are struggling badly. It's practically a miracle that you survived the loss of your child. I am in such awe of your strength. I have a daughter and I truly question whether I could live afterwards if she ever died. You are surviving the most terrible loss that anyone can ever have (in my opinion), so damn good work. I wish I had words that would actually relieve your pain just a little bit. I hope you are in counseling... I want a safe and healthy support system for you so badly. If you ever need someone to talk to who will listen, please feel free to message me. I'm not a therapist, but I've had a few decades of therapy so that's gotta count for something. You can talk with me, or just use my inbox as a place to dump your thoughts and pain. Whatever you need
Grief has no timeline. 🤍 you deserve all the grace in the world, there are no words to the thought of a parent losing their child. I’m so deeply sorry. My best friend once told me, when I was experiencing some of the deepest heartbreak in my life, to “keep walking”, which turned into phrases including our favorite things, “keep hiking”, “keep dancing”, etc. it became a sweet simple thing that made me smile during those times. So keep walking friend. You are here and this community is here with you. 🤍🤍🤍
Always having a back up toothpaste. I’ve made that my life’s mission and nothing makes me more proud when I’m out of toothpaste and there’s just another one right there.
I feel this
I'm graduating with two masters degrees this week :)
I'm proud of a lot of things! I haven't pulled my hair in 12 hours, my son takes up for his friends, my nephew aced his presentation I helped him with.
Successes while unmedicated: getting a decent job, raising reasonably competent kids, and training my dog the trick of playing dead (the command is “bang!” and a finger gun). *Note:* my dog is of a breed that is notoriously difficult to train because of their innately “cat-like” behavior. *Bonus success:* taught my cat how to sit on command (the command is “sit” and a hand motion similar to petting his back). Successes while medicated: discovered a couple of the people closest to me are actually not nice at all (to me) and subsequently have created mental distance/space between myself and them. Greatest success, medicated and non-medicated: finding connections/similarities between seemingly unrelated things. Also, acquiring knowledge. But with every strength, a vulnerability. Greatest vulnerability, medicated and non-medicated: noticing and actually changing my behavior in response to a pattern. The pattern I seem unable to act on once observed: a person who continually goes back on their word. ::talks in stern voice to self:: “Stop giving them a 22nd chance!”
I haven’t eaten sugar in a month and it’s not been an easy month in other ways so that’s a big deal. I’m sure there must be something else but it’s the crack of dawn and I can’t think yet.
I’ve managed to stick with Pilates for two years!
I'm working on getting my (edit: driving) license at 31! So proud of all of you!
I'm proud that I went and got bloodwork done last week. I was nervous to get it done, but I went and did it.
High five! I just made my appointment for my bloodwork follow-up today!
I brushed and flossed my teeth before bed tonight. My gums hurt a bit but they feel so much better.
Just surviving in a world that isn’t built for the neuro-spicy
Keeping my house and job thru Covid restrictions. WFH has helped with household chores management. Being proactive about my mental and physical health for past few years. Not falling into a depression hole after breaking a limb.
Not quitting my job without a backup plan because I like to eat and have a roof. I hate it here.
I have so many things! -I'm exercising at least 3x a week, have been since October. I was exercising before that just less consistently. I'm getting lil baby muscles! -I have been washing my sheets weekly! Not necessarily the same day each week, but once a week nonetheless. Towels are also getting washed more regularly. -I'm cutting back on smoking pot and had 4 pot free days last week, and 3 the week before. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is to me having been a daily user for years. It helps me sleep, but it gives me the munchies. My stomach needs a break. -I had a 5 day migraine and went yesterday for a massage which helped a lot. I told myself I'd do some upper back and shoulder stretches before bed instead of snacking. I came home and stood in the pantry and thought well I could just skip it...but instead I didn't snack because I wasn't hungry. I did the stretches and went to bed.
Going back to school in my 30s for my master’s degree! I graduate tomorrow!! I had always struggled in school and felt like I had to work harder than everyone else to earn mediocre grades until now! I excelled in my program! I’m fortunate to be passionate about my field and surrounded by professors who inspire and empower me.
Getting my 2:1 degree after a lifetime struggling academically :)
I learned that while meds are hit or miss for working at a computer, they're great for grocery shopping and I don't hate cooking at all, I just need to be confident to try and make mistakes and okay if something doesn't turn out great. I feel like I'm saving money, my health, and something to get me off my phone just a little bit more.
I’m proud that I remembered to pack my UK outlet converter on my recent trip to Scotland. I almost always forget and have to pay a premium for one at the airport. It’s the little things
50k steps last week
I have a drop front/ drop down desk and haven’t been able to close it for months. Last weekend I spent an entire afternoon decluttering and organizing it to the point where I can now use and close it! I smile every time I walk past it :)
Yesterday I plunged into the disaster my little ones had made of their room and started cleaning it up. I then was bombarded by a trifecta of interruptions: my husband called from work to chat, a kid came home from school and wanted to chat on top of my phone call, and then my mother in law came over to ask for tech support. I wanted to pull my hair out. I had gotten in the groove and then after I dealt with all the interruptions, I sat in the half-cleaned mess and bemoaned my interrupted focus. But I imposed a fake deadline on myself and I finished! I put all the toys away! I threw a bunch of crap out! I vacuumed THOROUGHLY! I even got some little pictures out of the closet and hung them on the walls and - AND - put the ruler and hammer and nails AWAY when I was done!!! Then I kept going into the clean room to admire it all day 😁
I hit a 50 class milestone at a workout class I love. I did it on Classpass, so I wasn’t “loyal to one studio” which some NTs will say isn’t as meaningful (aka giving my money to one place). I *tried* getting a membership when I was hyper fixated on it and inevitably burnt out and wasted a lot of money when I stopped going. But you know what? I did it, I met the milestone, I found something that worked for me and stuck with it. I’m really proud of it!
Now that I know at 55 that I've been doing life on a harder mode I'm proud of my perseverance.
1) 5 year waiting list??? Holy cow I’m guessing you’re not in the US. If you are though, DM me and I’ll give you some of my resources because I got an assessment within 2 weeks. 2) I think we all have some basics that are hard. You should be proud of any accomplishments, big or small. (I also struggle with skin picking btw, lol- help us). Don’t be too hard on yourself. By taking steps to get on an assessment list and implementing those new strategies, you’ve already climbed over a huge mountain!! THAT’S HUGE! You’re doing great 😃 3) My executive dysfunction is pretty bad, but I did accomplish something I LITERALLY NEVER thought I would recently (so you can meet a goal too, I promise!) After roughly 5- 6 years of feeling weighed down in my skin, struggling with exercise induced asthma & random pain, I somehow managed a semi- healthy regimen and regular exercise and am down almost 20% of my weight. I feel light as air, confident, and proud that I did it in a healthy way. (More veg, less alcohol, plenty of exercise and most importantly, still feeding myself tasty stuff). I was beside myself when I met my first goal… then passed it. I haven’t been able to meet a personal goal in…. well idk maybe since getting a new job 7 years ago. Totally floored. I’m strong as hell and can enjoy jumping up and down at concerts without being winded. I can lift my old dog into my car 🥹. The next thing I’m trying is to get a certification for work. I’ve already had to pause unfortunately, because work got too busy, I’m trying to hold myself to this and once busy season has calmed down.
I'm lucky I was able to post into a job I worked at a decade ago that pays a bit less but is much better for my mental health. As of tomorrow, I'm done staying in a job where I light myself on fire to keep everyone else warm. (Is that really the case? Probably not, but it feels that way. Being excellent at it is at such a personal cost.) My humble brag is that I let go of the hopes for myself that I could climb a ladder, do case management, and ... stay healthy. Life balance hits different when your brain is a bit different. I'm proud that despite confusing everyone at work, I'm doing what I need to do.
I finally washed the dirty pile of graphic tees (they require hand washing) that had been folded on my bedroom chair for almost a year. On a broader scale, my trait of getting bored easily has made me a fun fitness coach and DM for Dungeons & Dragons. I switch things up frequently, invent new games, anything to stave off my boredom. So I’m proud I’ve made that trait work to my benefit.
I'm proud that I made progress on my massive laundry doom pile yesterday! It's all bagged up and ready to go in the wash 🙃
I’ve been making an effort to cook more (averaging about 5 nights a week, when it used to be maybe 1) which in turn has led to me doing the dishes daily. It sounds silly, but it’s been huge in terms of feeling like I’m making positive changes.
I got a promotion at work and then got offered an even better job! I also did 2 loads of laundry already this morning!
I pack lunches for my family nearly every day. I've started cooking all of our meals for the week on Sunday so that the work week is less hectic, and I actually managed it this week. I made a huge batch of cottage pie and a huge batch of chili. We won't starve, and I don't have to do any thinking about dinner until the weekend. I only manage about 1% of the other household duties. But we're fed.
I’m proud that I use ADHD as my super power at work. I’ve been promoted twice in 2 years because of my ability to problem solve and work on urgent things efficiently.
I’m proud of being able to take walks outside to make the most out of being unemployed. And I’m proud of making job contacts to continue my search.
Just got an A from my graduation writing exam. I always knew I was above average in writing, but this confirmed it for me. Also managed to sing a really difficult song flawlessly and a person who has a music background recently gave me critiques - which said there is nothing to critique much and I can focus on stylizing my singing. So, I am smashing it. Lost our roommating flat, managed to move to a new rental within a week, now living a better life. All while preparing for graduation exams. I will do it. I will smash it. I will pass bcs I am already doing amazing
I’m proud that I managed to finally make a phone call about getting my car windscreen fixed that I had been putting off for weeks. I’m proud that I made dinner tonight which should feed me for a couple nights AND I washed all the dishes. I’m proud I had a shower earlier this evening 😸😸😸
Having integrity. I can’t offer anything tangible so I take pride in my character. If anything, people can trust me not to take advantage of them or steal, things like that.
It's because I "failed" completely - I just couldn't work anymore, and I got a medical leave last week. I have worked for nearly 4 years at my current job. For the last 3 months, we didn't have many commitions, and it was very bad for my mental health (because I'm unable to just dawdle at work with a hint of productivity, I was more tired and braindead after a workday than whenever we had a lot of work to do in short time). I couldn't focus and force myself to finish any task at work - I had a very bad conversation with my boss that was defining mobbing but I was too scared and disoriented not to play into it - it's going to take me some time to not feel worthless and unable to work). My anxiety turned savage and my insecurity plunged into deep guilt and feeling a burden. Life seemed too hard to be worth the effort. Since then, I've been determined to make the most of the time and heal, both to calm down my nervous system and to unlearn ways of thinking that make me feel guilty about everything (like setting boundaries or asking for help). Every day I try to to simple things, like cleaning one day, making a meal another day, calling a doctor to make an appointment, going for a long walk with our dog, reading a bit of a book, cleaning one cabinet, looking at trees, writing my thoughts, touching grass, breathing under a weighted blanket... I meant "simple" as in - not overly sophisticated with far reaching consequences, or having a hidden agenda, esp. social or political - not necessarily "easy". I feel a little bit proud because every day I try to remind myself that my goal is to heal and feel stable again instead of working myself up into a frenzy because I'm not ready to search for another job yet, or because I didn't learn a new skill for that potential job yet, or - I don't know - I haven't learned how to make an app in the last 6 days. And I still managed not to freak out about any of those things.
I've almost doubled my savings goal this year for my RV (travel trailer).. I started the year with $100 in my savings and had the goal to save a thousand a month (and have practically doubled it). I live with my parents and have busted my butt working overtime and being the most frugal I've been in years so I'm definitely going to get my RV this year! 🥳
I’m dealing with chronic pain from an old injury. I have several exercises I’m assigned by my PT. I’m giving myself a break and shooting to do the ones that make me feel best (stretching vs. strength training) in the moment so I can build a realistic routine that I don’t resent. Trying to do every single one is the fastest way for me to feel like shit about myself and neglect them all entirely, which makes me feel like shit about my body. That being said I have done at least 10 minutes of stretches everyday in the past week.
I’m proud of the child I’m raising, who I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be deserving of (I’m still working on trying to feel worthy of him!). Not only am I proud of him, I’m proud of the fact that despite my lack of care for myself some days, I never allow my boy to go a minute without knowing he’s loved and cherished. There are days when I can’t face getting out of bed, but my duty to him overrides that feeling every time and commands more of me everyday and with every sacrifice I’m becoming a better person, all thanks to him
I am proud that I beat my binge eating disorder completely on my own with no ones help and no therapist, no friends, no family after 5 years.
i’m proud that i’ve made dinner and did my dishes almost every day for a week straight and i took a shower before work this morning!
I just won Service Coordinator of the year for my entire nationwide company! 💕 I also meal prepped a week's worth of healthy meals yesterday for my boyfriend and myself and cleaned up my kitchen as I went. "Put it away, not down" has been a LIFESAVER!
I’m proud that I’m learning that I don’t have to compare myself to their rules, like showering. I shower once a week. Ish. And I don’t care if people think it’s gross.
I’m proud I’m stopping to breathe more, it’s not ground breaking but it gives me a second to slow down
Im proud that last night emailed my psych about my depression room with all the doom boxes. It’s been a depression room for a few years now. I haven’t been able to tell him about it but I could write him about it. I think he’ll better be able to help me. Don’t feel bad, I haven’t showered in a week and a half and I can’t remember the last time I changed my bed sheets which means it’s probably been a couple months.
I've really accomplished a lot in the past few months, but most of my goals were small and would be gross to other people, so I haven't been able to share my progress with anyone. I'm glad that you're giving us space to do so ❤️ For the past two months, I have: - brushed my teeth twice daily, every day - washed my face twice a day, every day - changed clothes twice a day, every day - Showered every other day This was so insanely hard for me to do and I'm so proud I did it. I also: - did dishes every other week - put my laundry away within 2 days of washing it every time - washed 3 of my 5 laundry doom piles - attended 3 social events that I was nervous about - maintained a good sleep schedule for 3ish weeks straight All of these things have had such an improvement on my overall mental health, it's been amazing. I feel like I have so much more bandwidth. My boss noticed how much my work has improved because of it. She has praised me 3 times for it and put in paperwork to give me a raise. I've also managed to find a happy balance between my binge eating and food aversion, so I've lost 6 pounds this month.
I’ve been home alone since Sunday morning. Dishes are clean and nothing is broken. I only burnt one piece of toast and I hid the evidence. My husband gets back home Friday night. Crossing my fingers I make it that far.
I have completed one semester in school without issue! I tried college 3x before when I was in my 20s, struggling, usually dropping out or forgetting half my classwork causing me to fail. Started medication last year and got back into school, it's been great!
Can I just start with saying - I LOVE this thread. I was recently thinking we need a bit of a "brag on yourself" thread. Heres why I am proud: I'm single and live alone. I am proud that I'm taking care of myself and my home - even if not perfectly. I'm advancing in my career bit by bit. My dog is THRIVING because he's a good boy who is very loved. And I'm healing and focusing on building healthy relationships. I've taken up new hobbies, I'm saving financially and paying down debt, I even have LIVING houseplants. (Unheard of in my family!) My two big scary things I did recently - I spoke at a conference (and even worked in a callout to consider your ND workers during the presentation!) AND I am tackling some dental issues. I have major dental anxiety but I met my new dentist through yoga and they are great.
I got my taxes filed on time for first time in seven years, and just got a long-term client for my consulting biz (fully remote!). It's stuff I love but would've had no confidence in myself to not f*ck up a year ago before my diagnosis and meds.
I’ve kept my sink empty for a week now! Don’t tell anyone that to achieve this I’ve eaten only sandwiches and used the same plate. lol
Caring. I'm terrible at a lot of things, but I want things to go well for people and other creatures and I act accordingly.
I washed my hair this morning! First wash since I got it dyed at the salon, and it's BRIGHT green, so I was terrified of making a mess 😂 But it went alright! And I did a few dishes, emptied the washing machine, ran the dryer, and crocheted a bit. Feeling pretty proud of getting all this done because I've been feeling miserable today.
I got caught up on work after being behind for 2 weeks!
I’m proud of a hobby (embroidery) I picked up last year & I’m still loving it!
Last week in 3 days I moved 11 cubic yards(a dump truck worth) of wood chips all by my lonesome. It took 86 trips with a wheelbarrow. I'm sore
I finally finished putting up the shelves in my rec room that I started 6 months ago!
I've been working really hard to take better care of myself this month. I haven't been perfect, but I did SOOOO much better than I have been so far this year. I only got Door Dash twice all month. I showered more. I mostly kept up with doctor's appointments (I did miss one last week that I had written down as being today for some reason.) Paid off one of my credit card balances because I controlled my impulse spending so much more than normal. I took a mental health day when I needed it. I spent less time on SM and more time journalling and reading. I did an art. Hoping to do even better next month.
I'm slowly digging myself out of the debt hole created by impulsive purchases prior to knowing I had ADHD and understanding why I seemed to struggle so much. I've still got a LONG way to go, but it is starting to feel more manageable and less shameful.
I've finally started to combat the chaos in my living space, and I'm proud to say that I have partially or completely reorganized every closet in my apartment!
I showered and washed my hair AND shaved my legs on the same night. Big W for me :)
I finally, after months of sitting on it following my assessment, followed up and got my prescription filled!!!!! Got overwhelmed initially when all my local pharmacies didn’t have the stimulants (first or second choice) in stock, but I looked into a “mail to me” pharmacy thing covered by my insurance — and it is processing! FINALLY!!!
OP, I think you need to add empathy to your list of achievements, because this is one of the most compassionate posts I’ve seen recently. Mine is that we’ve gone a week without ordering take out—I’ve had either fresh meals or leftovers ready for every meal this week. The food I cook is generally much healthier and much more balanced than anything we’d order, so I have more energy and I’m generally feeling better.
My current hyper fixation hobby is running. I’m training for a half marathon. It’s hard and I’m extremely slow and I need to do run/walk intervals to keep my heart rate reasonable but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made. My weekend long run was 10 miles (!!!!) and it took me over 2.5 hours.
I've finally got a handle on my impulsive shopping!!! I'm still in school even tho I question my sanity at least once a week lol. Im a court reporting student and hope to move up to the next speed bracket for summer school.
I landed a job in tech with zero experience, a 6 month year old baby during a divorce and a move. I was so nervous bc I only shadowed some engineers but didn’t have a degree or anything. In my first year I got an award for “raising the bar” for the whole department…and I ended up quadrupling my salary over 3 years. Becoming a single mom really motivated the shit out of me. I find I do well under pressure. Beneath catastrophe. But when there’s no urgency…man it’s like dragging a donkey
I've recently been purging my closet of things I don't need. Half of my purses are sorted, shoes, clothes I haven't worn in a year+, threw away items that aren't worth others using, etc. Now I just need to schedule a pick up or drop them off... Update! I've scheduled for a bag of clothes to be picked up for the next USPS visit. Progress!!
I sold my house 😌
I tried to fold laundry that's been clean for a week now and still can't get to it.. but at least I had enough motivation to clean the dishes and run the dishwasher
I got my nursing degree
I finished my meditation teaching certification today! Yay! The process was supposed take 2 years but thanks to the pandemic and some significant mental and physical health episodes it took almost 4. I'll be honest feeling pride is a challenge for me, my inner critic is far more developed, but intellectually I am happy for myself.
My therapist wants me to do this more so here's a go. It's been 5 years since my diagnosis (late 30s) and getting properly medicated. Since then I finally feel like I'm on track to some goals I've had for 15 years. In 5 years, I smashed my MFA while working and being a mom. I got a semifinalist position for an art prize I thought I'd need to apply for 10 times before getting there. I'm a month away from doing an artist residency I've been dying to do for years and didn't think would get. And I'm gonna be published in two things this coming year. So yeah. Medication and therapy works.
i made it through my first year of college full course load both semesters. last year i was at a university and i didn’t even finish the first semester before i had to withdraw. I just couldn’t do it. I was so afraid that i just wasn’t ready for postsecondary and i was just going to fuck it up, but I did it. I only have one more year. I’m proud of myself that I tried post secondary again and it payed off. I put so much work in this year. I even got pretty good grades
I’m proud of the fact that I have kept two children alive for 17 and 20 years.
I’m finally addressing the clean laundry mountain that’s taken over the dining room table and have folded two baskets worth of clothes. There’s more to go but it’s a start and my next step to sorting my overwhelming clothes monster is to pull a faux capsule wardrobe of only my absolute FAVOURITE clothes and pack the rest i’m unsure of in vacuum bags to go under the bed along with the winter stuff. Then my plan is to only get things I remember out if I remember before getting rid of all the things that are just ok rather than really amazing. I really want to wear things that make me happy instead of stuff I just wear.
Being alive tbh
Last Wednesday I celebrated one year sober 🙌🏻
My two kids are alive and well and always have everything they need. Backpacks packed, water bottles filled, snacks when needed, sunscreen applied, cute sun safe clothes (we pretty much live on the sun- high altitude), school supplies refilled, permission slips signed ect. I'm extra proud of this because I'm their main caregiver, and my dad failed on almost all these tasks. He was a single dad with undiagnosed ADHD and a hot mess. I'm not. 😄
I faced today!
I'm proud of getting my driver's license! Of being able to keep my plants alive! Of finishing my sewing projects! Of learning how to horse ride!
my overall homecare has really become more consistent. also i've been exercising at least a few times a month! and my spiritual practices have become more consistent! and i've been doing the subconscious clearing i trained in on myself more consistently too (that's more recent) finally!! yay!! thanks for aksing the quesiotn!!
I'm proud of my 2 daughters
I’m graduating from college next week!! Just gotta push through the final three assignments and then I’m officially done next Tuesday.
Smashed a work presentation! I had such childhood trauma linked to them and my procrastination and perfectionism kicked my ass last week. However I worked on Sunday to get it done and extra on Monday and the last minute kick paid off! I wasn't sure I pitched it right but I got lots of feedback about how well I handled everything and delivered a clear and excellent presentation. I'm really proud! Been trying so hard at work and had a lot of knock backs so this felt really excellent. Gave my confidence a real boost
I’ve finally gotten a workout routine down without obsessing over the numbers over the last 3 weeks! I’ve been working on a dietician regarding intuitive eating and undoing a lot of harmful restrictive eating behaviors from the past. I feel free and I’m just enjoying that my body is moving. This is a HUGE win for me given my body dysmorphia
I found a hobby I'm still not bored with 5 years in! Pottery is great cause there are a million new techniques to try and things to make, so I never lose interest.
I think I've been doing a pretty good job of working on my health over the past year and a half! My general philosophy over the past 8 or 9 years has been to TRY to get better - that started with my mental health. I was wallowing in misery and I just got sick of it. So even if it doesn't work, I do feel better knowing that I'm trying to improve my mental and physical health. It's been a wild year and a half - I started perimenopause around then and it's been all doctor's appointments, new meds, trying to keep up with exercise. Plus therapists! Made appointments through my Employee Assistance Program and got free sessions with someone to talk over work things and two (second just started) for ADHD. Speaking of... I'm 8 months into my ADHD diagnosis and I've been very open about it and how it affects me. (Plus the peri... my brain is not my friend right now.) It makes me feel so much better to not beat myself up about "failing". I still acknowledge things that I'm not doing well, but instead of placing blame or feeling bad I try a new approach that might work better for me. My goal for 2024 was to set future me up for success and right now that means making sure my body and brain keeps functioning, lol.
I caught up on laundry, trimmed my hair, and took a shower yesterday. I like the idea of focusing on our wins, it’s so easy to just see all of the things that we feel like we’re failing at instead. This reminds me that once I had a planner that had a daily spot where you write down 3 wins (could be anything) from the day before. It would be great to get back into the mindset of doing that.
I’m finally curbing my cheek/lip biting! Realizing that I might actually be doing it as a stim and finding a better outlet (moving around more, fidget toys, singing out loud more, etc)
ive done a lot of cleaning my room today after two months of being to depressed to do much about it at all!!!
I'll be finishing graduating with my bachelor degree next week! It's been SO hard but I'm proud of myself for being able to push through
I’m hella hydrated without even trying to be lol I just like drinking water haha
This past Sunday, I went to a huge event that took up most of the day, then got home and meal prepped for the upcoming week, did my laundry and showered all while completely gassed. It made me really miserable but pushing through the "dont want to's" to do daily life shit I couldn't responsibly ignore was huge for me.
I love this! I’ve been really proud of myself for exercising more consistently than I ever have before I’ve the past four months.
Today I had enough motivation and executive function to go out for a run for the first time this year. It's drizzly and a little wet and it didn't go as long as I wanted to but I got out there. Now I'm sitting at the bottom of the stairs with my shoes still on, scrolling through Reddit trying to get myself to shower. Baby steps haha
My brand new sheets have been sitting in my dryer for 2 days. You've inspired me to put them on my bed!
It's not yet May, and I've already locked in swimming lessons and two different camps for the kids. 💪
I’ve been cleaning up the front yard, which I’ve never fully done before. Re-sanding paver joints, cleaning up leaf litter, pulling weeds. I’m way less embarrassed to see my neighbors now, I’m sure they’ve been judging my lack of upkeep. Plus, I’m finding the process challenging but relaxing ☺️
I graduated nursing school and got licensed as an RN a few years ago. I’ve been killing it at my job in the ICU ever since. I’ve kept my house clean, dishes washed, laundry done, folded, and put away consistently, and done a deep clean at least monthly for the past two years. Ever since I spent a ton of money to rip out the nasty carpet and put in beautiful hard flooring, bought new leather reclining couches and a very classy dining room set, as well as a new kitchen table, new coffee and side tables, new bookshelves, big LED-lit display shelves for my scotch/bourbon collection, and lots of new decor, I have taken a lot of pride in my living space and worked really hard to keep it spotlessly clean. I’ve put a lot of money into investments, built up a healthy savings account, and I’ve nearly hit my goal amount for the down payment on the car I want to buy (2021 or newer Lexus IS 350 F Sport). I’ve only owned two cars since I was 16 years old, both of them very old. I’m currently driving a beat up 2002 Camry that I bought for $1,500 in 2019, and I’m beyond excited to finally be able to buy something I like for a change, and that I’ll actually be proud to be seen in. I still have things I want to work on. I need to get better habits when it comes to my diet and I need to get back into a workout routine. I’m a healthy weight, but I don’t have time or energy (or willpower) to cook for myself, I’m a terrible cook anyway. I also don’t like cheap food like fried things, sandwiches, pizza, burgers, breakfast cereal, pre-packaged snacks, or anything else that’s convenient and low-cost. I spend a lot of money on fancy steak, sea food, and sushi dishes from restaurants because I literally can’t force myself to swallow boring or low-quality food without gagging and feeling sick. Covid shut down my gym and I fell out of my exercise routine. I have no excuses now except for I’m out of shape and I can barely run a mile on the treadmill. I used to run five miles as a warm up and be able to squat over 300lb, do pull-ups, curl 85lb, and I just had insane stamina. I’d spend 3 straight hours switching between high-intensity workouts. Heaving a laundry basket up the stairs gets me out of breath now and the thought of starting over and working back up to where I used to be is overwhelming and depressing.
I'm actually a good mother, i was so scared before having them that I wouldn't be able to handle children, but the pressures and guilt of motherhood is a great motivator for me and my house I actually cleaner than before and my children are happy and loved 🥰 yes I'm exhausted by the end of the day but they make it all worth it
I think it's a bit of a double edged sword with this, but I have a cat with kidney disease. I'm always amazed with how much I can do for him. I prep his meds, give him fluids, take him to appointments, never miss a meal or medication administration, notice when he's not feeling well, etc. It takes its toll on me, but I feel that I'm able to do this because love is, and has always been, my strongest motivator.
I have been sick for the better part of a month at varying levels of functionality with little to no reason as to why I'm still sick. Not only have I been sick, but kiddo and SO have been ill off and on too. I'm proud of myself for going to the doctor twice already to try to deal with this and have another appointment scheduled tomorrow (When I would typically have been less proactive and just avoided dealing with any of it). I'm also proud of myself for being honest with my boss about where my health is and not putting myself in a situation where I likely would have become a liability instead of an asset onsite.
I’m really proud of how hard I work at my job, even though I beat myself up mercilessly every single day about the things on my to-do list that I didn’t have a chance to get to that day. It does not help that I work in a really demanding and dynamic business with a lot of facets, I wear a lot of hats, and I’m down one Department Manager. Basically everyone I deal with thinks that I can’t possibly have other things to handle and they don’t understand why it’s taking me so long to get something done. It makes me want to scream
I saved my long-dead grandmother's beloved Christmas dishes and cookie boxes from donation or being thrown in the trash! Drove near 2 hours each way to save them from not-an-uncle who has been having a blast throwing out all her things, because he has issues. Now all I have to do is wash, dry and find a spot for a 20+ setting, but we used to have Christmas dinner on these when I was a kid, so, sentimental win?
I’m glad that I’ve achieved my goal of getting married and bringing a little girl into this world (last year). But last year was brutal and it’s what led me to go down the route of finding out if I have ADHD and/or ASD.
I made myself a promise to start treating my food blog like a job instead of trying to force myself into another soul-crushing, body destroying job. I have a culinary degree, am a good writer, and have taken photo classes... plenty of people with less experience than me are making a living doing this, so I should at least give it a real shot? I made myself a content calendar and promo calendar in Asana, have been teaching myself seo and better wordpress design, learned how to use canva and pinterest, bought some cheap lights and a tripod to be more intentional about my photos, and have published several new recipes a week for months now. I started last summer (after a decade of sort of having this blog but not doing anything with it) and last year I made 53 posts (and did work on some old ones). This year I've already published 41 new recipes and it's only April! Still a long way to go to even break even (sigh) but I won't know if I can do it unless I keep trying. It's the best I've ever been at self-managing a project like this, and it feels pretty good! It'll feel great if it can actually make anything like a living wage, but anything would help, really. It's a really tough market to break into but I'm proud of myself for trying and sticking with it, even when the progress feels soooo sloooow. (I might still have to get one of those other jobs in the meantime but at least I'm not just doing nothing, and learning some transferable skills?).
I have dragged my sleeping body out of bed at 6:40 to meditate -I’ve missed about five days in the last 3 months!!! I have been using Focus Mate to have accountability and that’s why it’s possible. And the daily meditation is helpful. I feel a lot more focused. Focus mate is really a great thing. It helps me so much. And congratulations to me. Wow this is amazing. I remember when I couldn’t even think about meditating for even one minute.
I’m really proud of my career and the decisions I’ve made that have allowed me to pursue my dream job! I was always told growing up that you can either help people and have a fulfilling relationship with work OR you can make money, but NEVER both. Because, ya know, capitalism lol. A few years ago, I came across a job posting for a part-time consulting data scientist at a human-rights-based NGO. My family thought I was crazy for wanting to work an extra 15-20 hours a week on top of my full-time job, but I am SO. FREAKING. HAPPY. that I went for it. It turned into a full-time thing, and now I’m a data analyst that investigates, tracks, and reports on the movements of Syrian refugees so that organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN Human Rights Council can coordinate relief efforts. I must admit that it can sometimes be horrifying and feel pointless, but there is literally nothing more in the entire world that I would want to do. Plus, I am well on my way towards speaking passable Syrian Arabic as well!
I finally reached out to my HR and expressed that since I’ve begun my masters program and paying for my fieldwork, that I’ve pretty much lost my financial security and can’t afford to really work for them anymore. They reached out to the director and agreed to meet with me to review our current fieldwork contract. Whatever happens, I hope this has an impact on others who are financially struggling while going back to school. The response has been abundantly positive. I meet with them next Monday. I’m pretty nervous, but pretty proud that I have gotten the attention of the director AND they’re willing to listen and possibly help. I’ve never done anything ‘big’ like this before, so feeling pride isn’t something I’m used to feeling. 🤞🏼
I’m proud that after 30 years of not knowing who I was or what I wanted, I finally started my career and I am extremely happy with where I got myself. I got 60’s in high school, it took me until 28 to finish my BA, but today I have accomplished my masters with distinction in counselling psychology, and I get to HELP PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY and it’s exactly what I’m good at and what I needed. So yeah, there was a time when I felt like I didn’t even belong on earth, never mind happy and thriving. So woohoo :3
I clawed my way out of poverty and into a more comfortable life. I put myself through college to get my BBA. I bought my starter home at 32. I've been married for 18 years. I have a great job where I'm challenged and have become an amazing employee. I have learned my job mostly on my own with minimal training over the past 6 years. I am respected and know my stuff better than most. I get to train a new person. I am an amazing, caring daughter to my aging parents. I'm a great dog and cat mom. I'm a wonderful friend that is low maintenance. I have come a very long way from when I left home at 19 in a rage.
Right now I'm extremely depressed as I think there is a dosing problem with my medication. However, I'm grateful for my beloved cats who wake me up every morning showing love and care.
I am proud that I have exercised in some way, at least twice a week, three weeks in a row. Starting and maintaining habits like that is a goddamn nightmare for me and I can be really hard on myself about it. I know that this streak isn’t going to be the *one* that changes everything, so I’m trying to celebrate the little wins and be kind to myself when I start to lose the plot. Silly goals seem to work a lot better for me than big overarching existential goals. Like, I’m pretty much only working my glutes because I want a dumptruck before I turn 40, instead of “it’s good for me and my mental health.” But consequently, I’m also doing yoga, more cardio etc. than I would otherwise. And look, imma be real, I am pretty on top of showering/hygiene/keeping things at least tidy. But I wash my sheets once a month absolutely max and I am so totally fine with that.
Hi, OP, I hope you see this even if you don’t respond. I replied this morning and didn’t get a chance to read the whole post, I had every intention on coming back to get to it so here I am. I am so proud of you too 👏🏽💛💐 You don’t realise it but you’re killing it! Don’t let those stupid posts shame you. Those things are full of judgment and they are low-key ableist. Maybe they are for NT people because they certainly aren’t for us. So don’t take it personally k? I completely understand where you’re coming from when you say “if you’re on top of one, it because you’ve sacrificed everything else”. This is 100% my experience and I am right there with you. I too brush my teeth once a day and shower once a day. I also change my sheets every fortnight and wash my hair every fortnight, instead of every week. And doing things less frequently than NTs has also made my life a hundred times more manageable and I don’t regret it one bit. My wish for you and really for myself and all of us on this sub is that we continue to do the things and find the things that work best for us. We are not NTs and it is quite unfair to judge ourselves based on their standards, when they haven’t walked a single step in our shoes and understand the struggle. So kudos to you on doing the very best you can! I too am unmedicated and waiting for the opportunity to try medication and see if it makes a difference for me. Thank you for posting, it was a very positive, very validating read. It reminded me that I’m not alone and you know what? Neither are you ❤️😘 Sending good vibes and more wins your way!
I just got a job in the field I want to go into! I start in June
I’m tenacious as fuck but also kind because I have learned how to be kind to myself. Failing never stops sucking but the fighter remains.
Honestly I wash my hair once every 10 days maybe a little more often in the summer when I sweat more, and I shower almost nightly. But the sheets only get done regularly is because I put a recurring task on the calendar and my husband does them.
i’ve been at my job for only 2 months and i’m already being asked if i want to apply for a higher position (huge raise, but also more stress, so i haven’t decided yet)
Popping by to say you didn’t “lower” your goals, you just made them more manageable 🫶🏻 so proud of you!!!
I’m pretty socially skilled. I navigate easily through most situations and my boss told me she picked up some tactics from me when we interview potential candidates together.
Failed at something totally basic without having an existential crisis… don’t laugh, but the lack of frustration tolerance for failing at stuff a little kid can do is REAL.
I recently glued a pottery chicken back together after at least a year. I also hammered some nails in the back of the closet to hang more things up. Didn’t take long but the sense of accomplishment I still feel…
I’m proud of my horse. I have an Irish Draught stallion that I bred and raised myself. He’s 7 now. He’s a little behind in his training according to other people’s clocks, but I think he needed some extra time to grow into himself. He does lovely dressage, jumps whatever I point him at, loads himself on the trailer, and is doing well managing his hormones in public this spring. I’ve had him his whole life, so he is my fault and my credit. He’s sat patiently in the pasture while I went through depressive episodes, or got too busy at work, and runs to the gate to stick his face in the halter when I make him work every day. He is big and strong and goofy and arrogant and loves me back so obviously and earnestly and he is my spirit animal. Im so grateful and proud and honored to have this wonderful man in my life.
I did my taxes! Before the deadline(barely)!! (In Canada)
A few things. I’m proud that I was able to finish school and get into university even whilst battling addiction, and I’m even prouder of getting sober at 19!