No, I don't have great clothes. I wear plain solid Walmart t-shirts, have one pair of sneakers, and rotate through the same 3-4 pairs of sweatpants all week. But I have bills I pay myself, along with some I help pay, as well as my groceries, gas, clothes, and the like and I'm proud of that.
No, I don't have a great or new(ish) car. It is old and ugly and it needs work every so often. It is cosmetically flawed with dents and whatnot just as I am. But I bought it on my own and I'm proud of that.
Yes, I'm "lucky enough" to have a work study. And I make some money from that in the 2-3 hours I work. But I've put in the effort to make and take something wonderful from it for me and the people I work with even if it isn't exactly what I plan to do with my major and I'm proud of that.
Yes, I have a summer job that I make good money at for a college student. Maybe it seems that I don't do as well or as much as someone else's summer job. Maybe it doesn't seem challenging or hard enough. But I'm proud of my position, my growth, and of the time and effort put into where I've gotten and all that I've learned in those processes.
Sure, maybe I don't have as much homework or seem as stressed or are as active with extracurricular actives as others. Maybe it seems like school just comes easy to me. Maybe I don't get awards or do a lot of super cool things, inside or outside of school, or what have you. But I work damn hard academically and in putting in a lot of time and effort to work on myself, too. My progress as a person has been tremendous; I don't need awards or recognition or a full calendar to prove that and I'm proud of that.
I don't have the best, newest, greatest things, nor the easiest life. I, along with my family, have little financial freedom. But I am proud of my independence regardless of where I might stand in comparison to someone else. Statistically and/or materialistically speaking, I'm the underdog.
But I am rich in compassion, in perspective, in acceptance, in support, in learning, in growth, and in understanding. I am rich in friendships and in family. Most importantly, I am rich in love. And that's all I really need.
