This is a guest post written by Kristen Parry. Kristen is a firm believer in Happiness and Love as the two prominent pillars of life. She is the program manager for The Smile Project and focuses on the ambassador program.
I have to admit... the Great British Baking Show is the only show I watch "live." The hour or so I get to spend following these bakers each week during the season invites a lot of comfort into my life. I love the ritual of sitting down on a Friday night or Saturday morning and watching people be creative, commenting on their choices (as though I have any credibility in the type of baking they're doing), supporting each other, and believing in themselves.
During the first episode of this season, I noticed something. Every single baker looked straight into the camera during an interview and said some version of 'I'm proud of myself." Hearing 10+ people say that in the span of an hour made me realize I've never heard that before. Heck—I don't know if I've ever actually said out loud that I'm proud of myself.
This realization made me both sad and happy. And I spent a lot of time thinking about that. I was sad that I haven't told myself I'm proud often enough... sad that I've never heard a group of people say it about themselves. But I'm also happy that these people set an example for me. They choose to follow their passions. They choose to take a leap of faith and believe in themselves. They choose to befriend their opponents and genuinely congratulate each other even in times of their own stress or hardship.
The lesson I learned seems oddly simple. Be proud and do what you love. It'll bring you peace, fun, and good company.
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