Post by shostakovich on Jan 29, 2013 22:49:44 GMT -5
I ran my first marathon with my dad - an avid marathoner - last fall, which was one of my lifelong goals. We finished it holding hands
I turned my love of paper and books into a masters degree in library science and archival studies. I also co-planned our wedding while in school and working, which nearly killed me. But I did it.
I spent years encouraging my boyfriend-turned-H in his music, convinced that it was what he was put on this earth to do. Now he makes his living as a musician, and is fairly successful, and I feel proud of the small part I played in that.
I recently brought a neglected plant back from near death, and now it is thriving - this is huge for me, because I am not a green thumb at all.
This is going to sound dumb, but I'm proud of myself for NOT getting KU right after I got married at 19 (which was my initial life plan- get married, have babies, the end). I'm also extremely happy to be in school pursuing a career that I could actually enjoy.
Doesn't sound dumb to me at all! I didn't get married that young but I am proud of myself for putting off having kids in order to advance my career and be able to provide better for my future family, as fun as a baby might seem. I'm proud of you, too!
Post by sewpinkgal on Jan 29, 2013 23:07:34 GMT -5
I was in several DVD workout videos as one of the folks that does the routine behind the main gal. I worked my ass off (literally) to get in great shape before having kids and it was the pinnacle of that endeavor. I'm also proud to call the star of these videos a good friend and someone that I respect and admire. She helped change my life in the best way possible and for that, I'll forever be grateful.
Post by mamasaurus on Jan 29, 2013 23:09:09 GMT -5
I'm the first in my family to earn any kind of college degree.
I earned scholarships, and my senior thesis won a prize. Not bad for somebody who was pressured to drop out of high school and moved out rather than do it.
You are completely awesome. You left a destructive, dead end relationship, got a great boob job, moved to a fabulous apartment on your own in a new town in a totally cool place. And found a fabulous man; which would never have happened if you had not left that horrible relationship.
AND you had the guts and foresight to buy a purple couch. I still admire you for that. AND getting the strength to make your life fabulous. I am proud of you, if you're not!
Thanks SueSue!
I have had some great moments of pride, lately I have just been feeling like I need to do more big things. I will say that my family is pretty proud of how far I've come, given the circumstances and how easily I could've gone in another direction. I am also happy that I didn't accept just any relationship and waited for a good one.
Post by Captain Serious on Jan 29, 2013 23:35:08 GMT -5
First, I started volunteering with my adaptive skiing organization. I kept learning more and more, and eventually became a certified adaptive ski instructor. This was really huge for me, as I've always skied with people better than me.
What I didn't realize is that all my experience made me confident enough, not only to parent, but to parent kids with some special needs. Now, I'm hella proud of the job I'm doing with the boys. Their needs far exceeded what we expected, but we are all doing great, individually and as a family, and I am so proud of them, their strength and courage, and how far I've come as a mother. I've gone from being petrified to be alone with M to staying in Peru be myself with J, and now not even batting an eye when my husband leaves me lane with them for a week. It's been a l g road getting here, but now that I've arrived, I'm finally feeling wonderfully sufficient and in-control again.
First, I started volunteering with my adaptive skiing organization. I kept learning more and more, and eventually became a certified adaptive ski instructor. This was really huge for me, as I've always skied with people better than me.
What I didn't realize is that all my experience made me confident enough, not only to parent, but to parent kids with some special needs. Now, I'm hella proud of the job I'm doing with the boys. Their needs far exceeded what we expected, but we are all doing great, individually and as a family, and I am so proud of them, their strength and courage, and how far I've come as a mother. I've gone from being petrified to be alone with M to staying in Peru be myself with J, and now not even batting an eye when my husband leaves me lane with them for a week. It's been a l g road getting here, but now that I've arrived, I'm finally feeling wonderfully sufficient and in-control again.
Post by donnamartingraduat on Jan 29, 2013 23:40:39 GMT -5
I was the first woman in my family to graduate from college and the first person in my family to get an advanced degree (PhD).
After never being very athletic / active, I started regularly exercising at age 24 and have stuck with it for 10 years. Some days I even feel a little like an athlete!
I got my bachelors, moved away from my family, am working on my masters, and don't have kids. For where I come from, and considering my family, these are all huge for me.
For me personally, it was running half marathons and training for a full (before I got hurt). And learning to ski, and ride a road bike. None of those are particularly impressive accomplishments but they were for me.
Objectively, my degrees, career, awards, and professional accomplishments are more fantastic than my half assed athletic events . . . I am a much better lawyer than I am a runner . . . But that comes easily, without having to fight for it or put effort in, so to me they just don't feel as significant as the things I have really fought for.
I don't think anything competes with Frkls protesting the KKK though.
Well, I guess having a baby is something I'm proud of. I didn't think i'd ever have kids due to being terrified of labor.
I was scared of labor too. I also had a completely irrational fear of tearing. Like I asked my dr about it every appt. But in the end labor and delivery was the best and easiest part. If pregnancy was as easy as my delivery I would change my name to Duggar and breed like it was my job.
Graduated from college, rescued a dog, beat cancer and learned to walk and speak again, married a great man, working on a masters degree
: )
Putting myself through school, going after a second masters to change my career. Working with my at-risk students when very few in my district will do so.
In the nineties, I was a NYC club kid/rave promoter type for a while. I'm glad I got out of that bad scene by age 21, and cut those people off before I became another statistic of some kind.
My Master's in Chem E. My CBRNE (chem/bio/read/nuc/explosive) planning/tracking tools were taken by JRTC and used as "Best Practices" for future rotations.
Mine aren't that great, but I feel good about them.
I moved out of my podunk hometown to go to school while all of my friends and 70% of our graduating class stayed local. Being away at college opened up a whole new world for me and I met so many people from all walks of life.
Graduating on time while I watched several friends screw around with school and take 7+ years to get any kind of degree.
Getting a job in the field I've always wanted to work in and steadily and progressively moving forward in my career path. I work in a field that has the potential to be very lucrative if I stick with it. Since 2008, I've been promoted 4 times and, for as young as I am, doing pretty well professionally.
Meeting and marrying the most awesome man, who nurtures me and loves me even when I don't love myself.
I lost 20lbs before having the boys but more importantly was able to build myself a healthy lifestyle.
I pushed out two babies. It took a lot of strength and determination and luck -- I am so, so grateful I got the birthing experience I wanted, more or less (could have done w/o the epi and the mag afterwards). Any time I feel defeated I remember this and I feel empowered.
I breastfed both boys in some capacity for 6 months. Another hard thing that I am really, really proud of.
I left an abusive relationship when I was 22 years old with no job and 2 babies and raised my girls by myself until I found my H 4 years ago. It was a long, hard road but I am so happy with the young women that they have become. They are smart and funny and well rounded and I hope that they will see how hard I worked to give them what they have and that they will learn from my mistakes.
I took a chance with H when I had resigned myself to spend my life on my own and am happier than I have been in a long time. He may make me crazy sometimes but he is a good man and a great father and I can't imagine my life without him.
Next on my list: to be the first in my family (on either my mom's or dad's side) to get a college degree.
Post by melodramatic26 on Jan 30, 2013 10:21:08 GMT -5
I'm proud that dh and I both went to different colleges and waited until we graduated to get married and after getting married, waited a long time to have kids.
it would have been so much easier/nicer to go to the same college, but we knew it was best for our career paths that we didn't.
I'm also proud of losing 80+lbs before getting pregnant again (and this year I'm determined to hit my WW goal weight).
And of course running a 1/2 marathon just 10 months after starting Couch to 5k and then running my 2nd 1/2 marathon 16 weeks pregnant. And running through 32 weeks of pregnancy.
I'm also proud of joing WW again just 6 weeks post partum this time and training for a 1/2 marathon again when it would be so easy to give myself a "break" since I just had a baby.
I managed to graduate from college and grad school (PhD) which is something my mom and dad didn't do and a first for a broad swatch of the family.
I am more proud that I found a great partner in DH and that we have been together for over 10 years now and married for 5. My mom wasn't a great role model and I thought I was doomed to be in a string of failed relationships. My current marriage is longer than her 2 combined. I am proud that I am learning how to make a long term relationship work. It is truly a learning experience for both of us but we are doing it and happy.
I won a national championship with a $1,000 pony that everyone said had "No Chance". Reserve through 4th place all paid $20,000+ for their rides, money doesn't always = quality. The lady that said that we had no chance offered to buy my pony for $10,000 after that and my 12 year old response was "No Chance."
Post by saraandmichael on Jan 30, 2013 11:30:40 GMT -5
I had a baby at 19 and managed to graduate college with my +30 hours (all graduate) so that I could sit for the cpa exam. I never did sit for the exam and I got out of accounting almost as quickly as I got into it, but I followed through and only graduated one semester behind when I would have if I hadn't had Noah.
Got over feeling victimized by E's hemo diagnosis and took the bull by the horns with his medical care so that I could feel some sort of control in an uncontrolled environment. I have since helped other moms navigate the waters when they were feeling much of what I felt those first 12 months or so.
I learned how to infuse him in less than 3 weeks after he got his port and was on my own doing it at home by week 4.
I traveled by myself to a city I had never been to in order to sit on an ad board for a pharma company that is making a new product for hemophilia. Some of the suggestions I made as part of that panel have been implemented in their marketing. On this trip I also put myself out there to meet people and have formed friendships with some wonderful guys that are doing super amazing things in the community.
I have also sat on a committee to plan our local hemophilia fundraising walk since its inception and last year raised the most money for the foundation (over $6,000!) and this year hope to get to $10,000.
At the end of February I am going to Washington DC to advocate for hemophilia on the hill. And I will take what I learn there and start a state program to do the same with the state legislators.
I'm also damn proud that I didn't give up in my marriage and file for divorce. I was very, very close after a few tough years but my husband and I have worked so hard to turn things around and I am happier than I have ever been in my whole life.
Two things that stand out are my bachelor's degree (I was the first one in my family to graduate from college) and my law degree/license to practice.
In college, a speech I wrote and delivered was published in a textbook that was used for several years.
I'm also proud that after practicing for a few years, I realized the traditional practice route wasn't for me and went into a non-traditional field. The pay isn't as much as what I know I would be making had I stayed on my original course, but the work-life balance is so much better.
After dabbling with running (if one can dabble in such a thing), I made a commitment to start running races. I've got several 5ks under my belt in the past year and am training for a 10k, with an eye toward a half by the end of this year. Considering not that all that long ago, I could barely run for a few minutes without gasping and now I can run for a good hour, is pretty impressive for me.
I'm proud of where H and I are in our marriage. We had some major issues early on in our marriage and sometimes, I doubted we would make it. Yet we stuck it out, got counseling, got real and honest with each other, and I feel like we've come out the other side stronger than ever.
The main thing I'm proud of, which has allowed me to live a life that I'm proud of, is I'll celebrate 25 years clean and sober on July 3rd. Quarter of a century, y'all!