Oftentimes, we may feel that other people's approval is what we need before we can celebrate our progress. We don't need it, though.

Most of the affirmation stuff I find is either too cheerful to believe or so vague it slides right off me. 'I am enough' does nothing when I've snapped at my coworker and skipped lunch.

The ones that work for me are small and kind of boring. 'You don't have to fix it tonight.' 'Eat something first, then decide.' That's it. Plain enough that I don't roll my eyes.

What's yours? Especially the ones you'd be a little embarrassed to say out loud. Those tend to be the real ones.