We’re all guilty of this at some point—brushing off compliments, feeling like success has to be hard-earned to be deserved, or hesitating when someone wants to show appreciation.
Even in our own work, we’ve had moments where a client’s gratitude caught us off guard. We don’t do this work for validation, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t acknowledge the impact we make. And yet, when recognition comes our way, our instinct—especially as women—is often to say, Oh, it was nothing. But it was something—it mattered.
We see this all the time:
⚖️ Clients who feel like they should “just move on” instead of recognizing they deserve justice.
💼 Colleagues who deflect praise instead of owning their contributions.
🤝 Women questioning whether they really earned their seat at the table—even when they’ve done the work.
But the truth is: It’s okay to accept the good things. Gratitude, recognition, and success don’t need to be explained away.
So next time someone offers a compliment, appreciation, or even an opportunity—let’s practice just saying thank you. No deflecting, no justifying, no shrinking.
