do you give yourself credit?

+ someone else’s success doesn’t take away from yours

Hi friends!

How are you?

I’m back home from my internship in Oregon, and wow, what a long sprint that was. I learned so much and am so grateful for the opportunity. I don’t think I ever shared the full details, but it involved 32 hours a week of herb farming (working in the fields) and 15 hours of classes taught by herbalists. Needless to say, my mind and body are pretty tired.

Since coming home, I’ve slowed down, but I haven’t really taken the time to reflect on all that I accomplished over the past eleven weeks. And I feel that is such a common thing… we set a goal, work hard to achieve it, experience it, and then immediately start looking for the next thing. We rarely pause to acknowledge the dream we just accomplished, or quite literally brought to life.

For example — this past weekend, I was feeling tired and jet-lagged. The work and studying were over, and I was finally home, resting. I scrolled through instagram and saw a friend who just ran a half marathon and another who completed her first triathlon. I literally said out loud, “All my friends are doing amazing things—I’m jealous!” and then my mom put me back in my place and said, “Look at what you just did. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

And she’s right. We’re so tough on ourselves. But we don’t have to be. Yes, it’s important to set goals and work toward them, but we also need to allow space for reflection, imperfection, mistakes, and for growth at our own pace. It doesn’t have to be as rigid or complicated as we make it. Take the time to celebrate your wins—big or small—and give yourself grace along the way.

Other people’s success or beauty doesn’t take away from your own.

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Someone else’s success doesn’t take away from yours.

We all have unique journeys, and comparing yourself to someone else often misses the point—your path is yours, shaped by your talents, efforts, and experiences. Their wins don’t make your achievements any less meaningful.

The same goes for beauty or any other quality. What makes someone else special doesn’t diminish what makes *you* special. There’s no limit on worth, beauty, or success—it’s not a competition.

Instead of feeling like you’re in someone’s shadow, let their achievements inspire you. Celebrate their wins, and don’t forget to celebrate your own too. There’s plenty of room for everyone to shine, and your light is just as bright as theirs.

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Make sure you give yourself credit for all that you do.

With love,

Kenzie