Celebrate in small doses, you will always be happy.

Last week, the lovely and creative Ifrahrao nominated my blog for the Liebster Award. Coincidentally, I have been thinking about celebration lately and what it takes for us to pat ourselves on the back. Pride is a very controversial emotion. Many view it as arrogant and self-centred when in fact, if used sparingly – like many good things in life that must be rationed, it is only a reflection of a much-needed yet increasingly rare self-esteem.

We should not be afraid to say “I am proud of what I have achieved!”, or “I did good!”. We live in a society where praise is most welcome when given by others but when one dares to applaud himself, they are treated as egocentric and full of themselves, regardless of their accomplishments. I am lucky. I have great friends who support my messy decisions and stubbornness. Friends who value my deeds and don’t cringe on the rare occasions I dare to say “I am proud of myself”. I also have friends who are shy and ashamed to say it out loud, because “they” will think this and “they” will think that.

I neither support nor encourage bragging. Pride is not about boastful speeches and glory. It is not about pounding your chest and exalting loudly for everyone to know. It is about knowing your self-worth and using this knowledge to propel yourself even further.

I am not proud of everything I have done. Who is? But I can appreciate how far I have come and I know I am capable of finishing this beast of a novel. I know that, with the necessary amount of editing that will ensue, it will be worth publishing. I doubt of course, I fear and I procrastinate, I bang my head against my desk and watch the cursor blink relentlessly, uninspired. But deep down, I know.

For my 23rd birthday, some friends offered me a bottle of Martini. I was waiting to hear back from an interview at the time (one of the many I never heard from) and I thought to myself… I will keep this for later. A year and a half later, that bottle of Martini is still standing on top of my fridge, waiting. I have waited for the good news worth opening the bottle. I have waited for interviews, results and news of all sorts.

In the meantime, almost imperceptibly, I have written 70,000 + words (probably twice before editing), I have started working as a freelance architect and am about to see my first project completed. Yet, the Martini remains unopened. I have developed this fantasy that I will open it when (if?) I receive my acceptance letter from an editor. But should we wait this long to reward ourselves? Instead, should we greet the good news in smaller doses and learn to be content with the present?

That is what I am doing today. Greeting my Liebster Award.

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These are the rules to follow:

1. Thank the person who nominated you on their blog with a link to your post.
2. Display the Liebster award on your blog.
3. Nominate up to 10 bloggers for this award.
4. Ensure these bloggers have less than 500 followers.
5. Answer the ten questions asked to you by the person who nominated you, and make ten questions of your own for your nominees.
6. Lastly, copy these rules in your acceptance post.

Here is my Q & A:

1. What country do you blog from?
I currently live in London so that makes it the United Kingdom.

2. What was your favourite childhood movie?
My cousin and I knew the text to Mulan by heart. He was Mushu, I was Mulan. 

3. Cats or dogs?
As a pet, dogs any day of the week. As an entertaining 5 minute break on YouTube, cats. 

4. What kind of music do you prefer?
For writing, soundtracks. For relaxing, acoustic, folk music. For running, as commercialised as it gets. 

5. Coffee or tea?
I’m torn. But I will probably lean towards coffee.

6. What’s the most daring thing you’ve done?
I wouldn’t call myself venturesome person in the world. My cousin has dragged me places, so I’ll say crossing a river on an old pipe running across it. 

7. Beaches or amusement parks?
Frankly? Neither. I prefer the stillness and silence of the mountains.

8. What is your favourite song today?
It changes every week, dare I say every day. Currently, it is the song opening this post. 

9. What are you reading now?
The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. An incredible adventure so far. 

10. Name a place that you would like to visit some day.
It has always been Nepal.

Photo by Edward Dalmulder (Creative Commons)

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It is hard to sift through so many beautiful blogs. But here is my selection:
Camillae  • Kelsiengen • Justabitoftime • Concerningwriters • Delnolan • Tussila • IMPREINT
People I can’t nominate due to number of followers but that deserve a visit : Ula • Gol • Lisa. Rob…

For the sake of simplicity, I will keep the same questions for my nominees.
1. What country do you blog from?
2. What was your favourite childhood movie?
3. Cats or dogs?
4. What kind of music do you prefer?
5. Coffee or tea?
6. What’s the most daring thing you’ve done?
7. Beaches or amusement parks?
8. What is your favourite song today?
9. What are you reading now?
10. Name a place that you would like to visit some day.

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Thanks for reading.
Hop on my Facebook and Twitter caravans.