Normalizing my achievements & taking pride in my work

I recently came across an article on Remzecal.com written back in 2018, by the extremely talented journalist named Jasmine Gomez (check her out!) The article was entitled "How These Latinos Got Over Their Impostor Syndrome" and she wrote that:

"It’s easy to attribute things to luck. When something unfortunate happens, we say it’s due to our mala suerte. Likewise, when dealing with something pleasant, we thank our luck for bringing us that far – oftentimes waiting for the other shoe to drop and that good fortune to finally expire. Believing we’ve entered a space, like college, a new job, or the surpassing of a milestone, by chance due to some external factor – such as a need for diversity or by fooling others into thinking we belong there, despite the fact that our past accomplishments say we do – is common within Latino communities. "

it really resonated with me because...

I CANNOT EMPHASIZE HOW OFTEN I FEEL THIS WAY -- IN WORK, IN SCHOOL, IN LOVE AND IN LIFE.

This last week, I've gotten shout-outs from classmates and colleagues for the work I've been doing, or the information I presented was impressive and EVERY SINGLE TIME I've minimized their recognition or praise. (Please know that this something that has been instilled in me since childhood.)

I will be instinctually quick to qualify praise by thinking "Oh, she's just my friend, she's just being nice" or rationalize it by saying "I was just lucky to find the resources I guess". But in all actuality, I worked super hard. And despite this disbelief that I might actually be talented, I'm really starting to be proud of my work, my accomplishments, and this journey. I made this blog to challenge myself to showcase my work, my struggles, my insight, my perspectives, and ultimately my work. So If there is anyone out there actually reading this...

Be proud of your hard work, your commitment, and your resilience. Remember how much you’ve grown over the last few days, months, or years.

You are enough. YOU ARE NOT DEFECTIVE