01/11/2026
Sometimes I feel like I’ve just arsed my way here. Which is ridiculous when I actually stop and think about it.
I’ve worked bloody hard. I’ve made mistakes, figured things out as I’ve gone, taken chances and done plenty of things that scared the s**t out of me. But someone tells me I’ve done a good job? I get uncomfortable and immediately start thinking about all the things they didn’t see. The mistakes, the things that went wrong, the things I could’ve done better.
I’ve had this conversation with so many people this week, and I’m realising I’m certainly not alone.
We’re so used to hearing what we could’ve done better. The criticism, the opinions, the little digs. Sometimes the noise comes from people who are dealing with their own insecurities, and somewhere along the way, that noise gets louder than the praise.
The strange thing is, I’m the fiercest cheerleader for the people around me. My clients, my friends, my family. I see what they put into things. I see their talent, their effort and the things they’re too close to recognise themselves. And I’ll tell anyone who’ll listen how bloody good they are.
But I’m still learning to offer myself that same kindness. To accept a compliment without explaining it away, to acknowledge that maybe I haven’t just been lucky and that perhaps a decade of hard work has actually earned me a seat at the table.
Still working on that one.
Anyone else bloody terrible at accepting a compliment?
