We are a tireless generation. We pride ourselves on the number of extracurriculars we can cram into our already overstuffed schedules. We use caffeine to self-medicate while bragging about how little we sleep because we “just have so much to do.”

Why do we wear the bags under our eyes like some sort of gold medal we’ve won? Why do we engage in passive-aggressive competitions to prove we can do more, be more, sleep less, work longer, have a harder life?

We are conditioned to never settle. Too often, we accomplish a goal but cut the celebration short, eager to conquer the next challenge. We brush off praise and claim that “it was nothing,” when really it was a lot.

Too often, we are so distracted by the taller mountains in the distance that we forget to appreciate the view from the one we’re already standing on top of.

Remember that it’s okay to not spend every free second you have building your resume. Self-care and rest are important, too, even if you can’t exactly stick those on a job application.

Remember that it’s okay to celebrate yourself. It’s normal to congratulate a friend for nailing that exam she studied so hard for, or to tell your boyfriend you appreciate everything he has been doing to help you out recently. You can speak to yourself just as kindly as you speak to those you love. You should speak to yourself just as kindly. You are stuck with you longer than anyone else ever will be.

Remember that it’s okay to be your own advocate and biggest fan. You can tell someone all about how long and hard you worked to score that internship, but only you were there for every second of the process. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your own accomplishments and hard work, especially because you know better than anyone what it took to climb that mountain.

We have, for the most part, lost the ability to pause for a moment and simply enjoy the lives we’ve created for ourselves. Rather than rushing to improve them in some new way, we can admire the scenery around us at this moment. It is probably more beautiful than we would have realized, and while there may be even greener pastures ahead of us, we cannot discount the hard work we have already put into cultivating our fields.