Hey there! 🌟 In our busy world, it's easy to get lost chasing perfection. We forget to appreciate how far we've come, and who we are right now. This week, I realized I need to hear a little self-love, not just from others, but from myself, and this revelation was a game changer for me.

I always want more. Even when I do hit my goals, it never feels like enough.

But what if we just took a moment to believe everything is fine as it is? What if we were able to silence that nagging voice and embrace ourselves as we are right now? Could we acknowledge our progress? Can we see how far we’ve come? Will we even acknowledge the value of “just showing up” for ourselves?

Being coached is like looking into a big mirror and seeing a reflection of yourself. If you look long enough, you see your progress, and you should celebrate showing up.

I’m cheering for myself and knowing that's enough.

In talking with my coach, Dr. Lori Doddy, I see myself as others do, and it helped to crystallize the thought that this journey in life is not about missing, hitting, or exceeding our goals; it's about recognizing the strength in just being there for yourself. And that realization allows me to recognize the importance of my effort to show up for myself and make the changes in life that are desired.

But life can get busy, and it's easy to forget to celebrate those small wins of showing up. Little wins like drinking water, understanding that the highs and lows of our lives don’t determine how we can choose to show up each day, or the many other good and healthy ways we choose for ourselves each day.

It’s not in the perfectly executed day, rather in the “showing up” and being present for the day as it is that’s worth celebrating.

Our personal pursuits and passions should be about the effort and progress we make each day, not results.

I'm making the extra effort to catch myself if I fall into the results driven track that feels so familiar. I'm going to try to remember the power of showing up and I’m going to remind myself about this girl's big heart and dreams, and rely on being my best version as I show up. I'm leaning on the trust of dear friends and my family's positive versions of how they see me, an imperfect work-in-progress.

I'm also learning that the best support comes from believing in myself and trusting in my ability to show up as that is enough.

I'm about celebrating the journey, not just the arrival at a destination. I revel in the realization that when I view life in this way, a joyous destination continuously awaits me. And that is a wonderful feeling.

The pictures in this blog are me, 730 days apart, and they reflect a big lesson I learned. And that is to show up and celebrate every small step I've taken between the start and where I am now. 

In the first pictures I'm celebrating my retirement, and its new beginning. The second is from my last workout with Lori where we celebrated my strength and ability to feed my body in the healthiest way. Both are worthy of celebrations . Both are important parts of my journey. And I honor them by remembering to continue to show up.  

Can you celebrate where you are today? Want to learn more about my mindset changes through this journey? You can listen to my chat with Dr. Lori Doddy on her Grit and Grace Podcast.

DeShawn Wert teaches intelligent, motivated women, moms and sisters how to get stuff done so they CAN relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor! Let's explore how you do your best work together. An Ericson-trained life coach and JTS Coaching-trained ADHD coach, DeShawn is a member of good standing in the ADHD Coaches Organization. She's contributed to several books on living with ADHD, including Dr. Dale Archer's book, The ADHD Advantage, and Laurie Dupar's series called More Ways to Succeed with ADHD