Feeling proud of yourself: why is it so important and how to achieve it?

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Feeling proud of yourself is necessary to enjoy good mental and emotional health. But how to achieve it? We address this topic below.

Written and verified by the psychologist Elena Sanz.

Do you feel proud of being who you are? And, if the answer is negative, do you at least think that doing so would be positive? There are those who think that being proud of oneself is an act of vanity, a tendency typical of self-centered and selfish people. However, it is one of the essential habits to maintain good emotional health. And I say habit because, in many cases, achieving it is a matter of perseverance.

The most natural and healthy thing would be for us all to feel happy and satisfied with the person we are.. But, unfortunately, we live in an unconducive environment. We certainly develop in individualistic and competitive societies that apparently encourage empowerment. However, the reality is that they only burden us with external expectations and prevent us from accepting and valuing ourselves in a genuine way.

Therefore, it is each person’s job to recover that invaluable unconditional love for themselves and persevere to become who they truly want to be.

When you know the enormous benefits that personal pride brings, both for the individual themselves and for their relationships, you will stop perceiving it as something undesirable. And you must not forget that your greatest life project has to be yourself.

Why is it so important to feel proud of yourself?

Feeling proud of yourself does not mean developing a narcissistic or vain personality. Nor does it imply belittling others or placing oneself in a superior position with respect to them. On the contrary, Being comfortable with who we are allows us to establish healthier relationships with others. But it also gives us other benefits:

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When you feel proud of yourself you don’t necessarily need others to accompany that pride. This will always be pleasant, but ultimately you will not depend on other people’s approval. This allows you to freely choose your life path and not abandon your needs and desires to please others.If you feel proud of yourself, you do not allow or tolerate aggression or disrespect towards yourself.. Personal pride is closely related to self-esteem. Thus, when you know your value, it is much easier for you to set limits and lose the fear of rejection or abandonment. Personal pride motivates people to persevere, even when they anticipate short-term obstacles or costs.Those who are truly satisfied with who they are access a state of inner fulfillment that can never come from outside.. Not all the praise or all the love in the world can fill the void of someone who does not feel comfortable with themselves.

How can you feel proud of yourself?

Some people, due to the education received in childhood, are capable of feeling proud of themselves naturally. For others this is not so simple and requires personal work and daily effort. However, following some simple guidelines will help us start this path towards personal fulfillment.

Discover your virtues and qualities, value them and get used to always keeping them in mind. But not only that, the habit of celebrating them, sharing them and showing them without fear begins. Celebrate your achievements and your talents and do not fall into the error of negative humility. It is good to recognize and thank your gifts.Accept your flaws, your mistakes and your areas for improvement. In order to feel genuinely proud of yourself you have to know yourself in depth and face your shadow. This does not mean hiding behind “that’s how I am” to continue maintaining dysfunctional attitudes or behaviors. On the contrary, it is the ideal point to start working on yourself from unconditional love and not from rejection of your dark parts. Practice whenever you can. To feel proud of yourself it is essential that you start prioritizing yourself. So, take into account your own opinions, needs and goals, start making them count, even if you have never done it, even if you are afraid that others will get angry. Being true to yourself is what will lead to personal pride.

To feel proud of yourself you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to see yourself moving forward every day in pursuit of your goals and under your own conditions. When in doubt about which decision to make, always choose the one that makes you proud of yourself., the one that contributes to creating the person you want to become. You are the project of your life.