What I Didn’t Know I Needed to Hear
something about the words “I’m proud of you” that hits different—especially when you didn’t even know you needed to hear them. Today, I was celebrating the launch of my new website. It’s something I’ve worked toward for a long time. People have congratulated me. They’ve said they love what I’m doing. I’ve felt supported and celebrated—and I’m so grateful. But when my friend REL said, “I’m proud of you,” I cried. And not just a tear or two. I broke down. Because that hit a part of me I didn’t even realize was waiting to be seen. Here’s the thing: I knew people supported me. I knew they were happy for me. But nobody had said they were proud of me—and I didn’t know how much I needed that until the words met me right where I was. It made me reflect on how we treat the idea of validation. Somewhere along the way, we were taught that needing affirmation is weak. That craving acknowledgment means you’re needy or self-absorbed. But th...