I celebrate myself, and sing myself. – Walt Whitman

So today was the first day of school. I have a new position at my school, which means I have a whole new group of kiddos to get to know. And I noticed something today. I spent so much time building them up, and making jokes about myself to get them to laugh that I forgot to build myself up. Don’t do that. How can you celebrate anybody else if you don’t celebrate yourself? The short answer is you can’t!

I realized today that I talk a great game about being your own best friend and talking to yourself in a supportive way. I talk a good game, but I don’t LIVE that good game. Honestly, that’s pretty stupid of me, and if you’re doing it to yourself, it’s stupid of you, too.  No matter who you are,  you are amazing and you have something special to offer the world.  We all do.  So celebrate that, and celebrate yourself.

I know it’s pretty easy to think that you’re nothing special, or that you are totally average, or that you don’t have any amazing skills or gifts. But guess what?  You’re you, and that’s amazing.  You are the only you there is.  Even if you’re an identical twin, you are still unique in some special way.  So do me a favor, spend some time thinking about how special you are.  If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, make a list.  The very fist thing on that list should read “I’m me!”  You are you, and you are amazing.  It’s time to celebrate that – celebrate yourself.