48 Ways to Say ‘I’m So Proud of You & What You’ve Done’ | Cake Blog
All of us want to be good and successful people. Achieving those goals isn’t necessarily easy, though. Plenty of life experiences can make being your best self pretty challenging.
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Thus, when we do overcome those circumstances, we want others to recognize our hard work. That’s why one of the kindest ways to express support for a loved one is through “I’m so proud of you” messages.
The following are examples worth considering. These are all perfect “I’m so proud of you” messages and gestures for a range of occasions.
How to Tell Your Kids You’re Proud of Them
Kids need to know their parents are proud of them. Help your kids feel your sense of pride with these ideas.
1. Throw a party
Treating your kids to a surprise party when they accomplish something is almost never a bad idea!
2. Brag (in earshot)
This tip isn’t encouraging you to arrogantly brag about your kids all the time. Instead, it’s suggesting bragging about your kid’s accomplishment to someone who knows you’re trying to make them feel proud (such as a relative), all while they’re in earshot.
3. “Look at how far you’ve come”
One of the best messages for someone going through a hard time (such as a child struggling in college) is to remind them of how proud they should be of what they’ve accomplished so far.
4. Display their work
Whether you’re putting a young child’s painting on the refrigerator or displaying an adult child’s first published book on the shelf, you’ll clearly show your kids how proud you feel by putting their work on display in your home.
5. Show the difference
Prove to your kids they’ve achieved key goals by comparing their current performance to the past. For example, you might show a child who is doing well academically an old report card from a time when they were struggling.
How to Tell Your Friends That You’re Proud of Them
“I’m so proud of you” messages are also ideal when you want to make friends feel better. Here are some you might use.
6. “Wow.”
It’s simple but effective! If you have friends you don’t get to see very often, you might have reason to feel proud of them the next time you do reconnect.
Maybe they’ve gotten in shape. Maybe a friend who used to struggle financially now has a nice home and clearly earns good money. In these instances, simply saying “Wow” (and meaning it) will let them know you’re proud.
7. “This isn’t easy, but you did the right thing.”
Sometimes supporting a friend and letting them know you’re proud takes the form of helping them cope with a difficult decision they made. For instance, offering a friend best wishes and telling them they did the right thing after ending a relationship can mean a lot to them.
8. “Can you help with [insert relevant task]?”
Want to let a friend know you’re proud of them for recovering from an illness? A unique but meaningful way to do so is to ask them to help with a task that they may have struggled with in the past.
For example, this type of request is often one of the most positive messages for cancer patients who’ve recovered to the point that they’re physically able to perform such tasks.
9. “How did you do it?”
Telling someone you’re proud of them essentially involves recognizing their achievements. Thus, instead of merely saying “I’m proud of you” to a friend who’s accomplished something impressive, you could instead ask them how they did so.
10. Challenge them to something you know they can now achieve
Friends often help each other make improvements in their lives. This can take various forms depending on the circumstances.
For instance, maybe you’re a strong athlete, and a friend asked you to help them get in shape. Show them you’re proud of their progress by challenging them to achieve a fitness goal (like running a marathon) once you know they’ve reached the point where they can.
How to Tell Your Spouse or Partner You’re Proud
Offer these “I’m so proud of you” messages to a partner or spouse to ensure they feel you appreciate the hard work they put into your relationship.
11. Send a surprise text
Telling a partner you’re proud of them doesn’t need to be an elaborate gesture. Sometimes a surprise text is more than enough if it’s genuine.
12. Be proud of everything important
Don’t merely tell your partner you’re proud of their achievements that directly benefit you, such as moving up in their career. Show you truly care by showing pride in the achievements that relate to their personal interests.
13. Post on social media
If you’re willing to let the social media world know how proud you are of your partner, they’ll be more inclined to believe you mean what you say.
14. Treat them
Simply treating a spouse or partner to a nice date night is definitely an effective way to express your pride and gratitude.
15. “Tell me what it took”
To show a partner you’re proud of something, such as getting a raise, give them a chance to describe the steps they took to achieve that goal.
How to Tell Your Parents You’re Proud
Just as kids want their parents to be proud of them, so do parents want to know their kids are proud of who they’ve become. These messages help you express that.
16. Make it public
Throughout your life, you may have several opportunities to express pride in your parents in very public ways. For instance, you could thank them for their hard work in your high school yearbook senior quote, mention them during a wedding toast, etc. Consider doing so when these opportunities arise.
17. Be the parent
This is an idea worth considering if you’re a young adult whose parent has achieved something significant, such as finally earning their degree. Reverse roles and treat them to a night out at their favorite dinner spot (on you, of course) like they would when you achieved something impressive as a child.
18. Boast about them in front of friends
You should also keep this idea in mind if you’re a teenager. At this age, many pretend it’s “uncool” to talk about how awesome their parents are with their friends.
That means you can make your parents feel very special by openly bragging about their accomplishments in front of your best buddies when your parents can see and hear you doing so.
19. Say you want to be like them
Telling your parents you aspire to be like them in certain ways will almost definitely make your pride clear.
20. Thank them
Say thank you to your parents by sending them a letter describing how much you appreciate something they’ve accomplished that’s had a positive impact on your life.
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An online memorial is a perfect ending to honor and celebrate someone’s life.
How to Tell Your Siblings You’re Proud
An “I’m so proud of you” message from a sibling can have a particularly strong impact. Make your sib feel special with one of these.
21. Tell your kids you admire your sibling
There may be many instances in your adult life when it makes sense to let a sibling know you’re proud of them by telling your kids they should be proud of them too. Consider doing so at family gatherings when the impulse strikes.
22. Celebrate National Sibling Day on social media
April 10th marks one of the US’s most heartfelt unofficial holidays: Sibling Day. Celebrate it by posting on social media about how proud you are of a sibling.
23. “I know how hard that must have been”
Older siblings often understand better than many others how certain experiences can be difficult because they’ve had those experiences, too.
For instance, if you’re proud of a younger sibling for graduating high school with a high GPA because you know how much work that must have taken, send them a “thinking of you” message saying as much.
24. Bring up their accomplishments
Don’t wait for parents or other older relatives to mention your sibling’s accomplishments at the dinner table. Show your pride by bringing them up yourself.
25. Give them a “certificate”
Siblings often have the freedom to express pride in one another through humorous or playful means. It’s simply the nature of many sibling relationships. For example, you could print out a funny fake certificate to “award” to a sibling when they do something that makes you proud.
How to Tell Your Employees or Colleagues You’re Proud
Good bosses and coworkers express pride in their teams and colleagues. Consider doing so through one of these gestures.
26. Acknowledge them
Giving credit to an employee who helped your team achieve a key goal lets them know you’re proud. Research also shows it boosts employee engagement.
27. Thank them
Just as a boss can acknowledge an employee’s contributions to the team’s success, so can other team members express their pride by simply thanking that same employee for their hard work.
28. Give them more responsibilities
As long as you know you won’t overburden an employee, you could show them you’re proud of their accomplishments by giving them more responsibilities. Just make sure you compensate them accordingly!
29. Plan events to highlight accomplishments
Sometimes your goal isn’t merely to express pride in an individual employee. You may want to let your entire workforce know you feel proud of them.
Do so by rewarding them with fun company events that begin with brief discussions of the achievements the company couldn’t have accomplished without them.
30. Take a colleague out
It’s not uncommon for some friends to take each other out for drinks or meals when a friend lands a dream job or client. However, you can use this same method to show a coworker or colleague you’re proud when they earn a promotion.
Short ‘I’m So Proud of You and Your Accomplishments’ Messages for a Card
There are many potential instances when you might want to tell someone you’re proud of them and their accomplishments via a card. Graduations, birthdays, retirements, and other such occasions are common examples. The following are messages you might include in such a card:
31. “Your years of hard work have brought you to this moment. As you begin your career, know that we are so proud of you and we have no doubt you will continue to thrive as you always have.”
Include a message like this one in a graduation card to let a recent grad know they should feel proud of achieving their academic goals, and that important people in their life recognize their hard work will ensure they also achieve their professional goals as they enter the workforce.
32. “Happy Birthday. We always assume it’s impossible to be more proud of a child than we are now, but with each passing year, you prove us wrong.”
Children of virtually all ages often crave the recognition of their parents. On your child’s birthday, whether they’re turning 12 or 20, let them know that every single year they keep giving you more reasons to be proud.
33. “No one can understand what a struggle you’ve been through. I’m so proud of you for being stronger than most people can imagine being.”
You may include this message in a card for someone who has recovered from an illness or is continuing to remain strong throughout their recovery.
34. “Being able to say that I was your teacher has been one of the greatest sources of pride in my life.”
Recent graduates may expect to receive cards from family members, relatives, and friends. Although they likely appreciate these cards, they might particularly enjoy hearing from old teachers who helped them learn and grow.
35. “You worked so long to give me so much. I couldn’t be prouder to call you my mom/dad. Thank you for giving me an incredible life.”
Strong parents often devote most of their lives to working hard and providing for their families. If one of your parents is retiring, acknowledge the sacrifices they made and assure them that you’ve always been proud to be their child.
36. “I’ll miss you, but more importantly, I’ll always be proud of you for taking this brave step.”
Is a loved one or friend moving away from the comforts of home for a job, school, or other important purpose? Instead of making them feel guilty about leaving their friends and family behind, reassure this person you’re proud of them for chasing their dreams.
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‘I’m So Proud of You and Your Accomplishments’ Posts for Social Media
Telling someone you’re proud of them and their accomplishments isn’t something you need to do in private. Social media has made it easier than ever to publicly share the reasons we’re proud of our loved ones and friends. Consider expressing your pride for someone via social media with one of these messages or ideas:
37. “Happy Birthday, [name]! We’re so proud of you and all you’ve done over the years!”
This is a simple message, but it can make for an ideal social media post if you “tag” the subject of the post. In doing so, you won’t merely be telling them you’re proud of them and their accomplishments. You’ll also be reminding your followers that today is their birthday.
They might receive more birthday wishes on social media as a result. That’s something many people look forward to on their birthdays in the digital age.
38. Share a video or image depicting why you’re proud of someone
Once more, you don’t need to share a specific message when saying “I’m proud of you and your accomplishments” to someone who you believe deserves recognition. On social media, you can post a brief “I’m proud of you” message accompanying a video or image depicting the reasons you’re proud of the post’s subject.
For example, if your child recently performed well during a sports game or academic competition, you may have a video of their performance you can share with your social media followers.
39. Share news coverage of an accomplishment
This is another type of social media post in which the content you’re sharing may be more important than the specific way you phrase your “I’m proud of you” message.
Although you might not have pictures or videos of a friend or loved one accomplishing something impressive, if there is any online news coverage of their accomplishment, even if it’s merely a short write-up on the local newspaper’s website, sharing it on social media is another meaningful way to publicly tell someone you’re tremendously proud of them.
40. Simply leave a comment
Do you want to use social media to let someone know you’re proud of them and their accomplishments, but you believe they might be the type of person who doesn’t wish to be the subject of too much attention?
If so, instead of sharing a post for all your followers to see, you can instead leave a shorter post on their profile mentioning that you’re proud of them for a recent achievement. This ensures they know you recognize their accomplishments without excessive fanfare.
Popular ‘I’m So Proud of You and Your Accomplishments’ Quotes
You don’t need to rely on your own words to let someone know you’re proud of them. If you’re struggling to find the best way to express your pride in someone, consider doing so with one of these popular quotes.
You can also modify them to make them better apply to your relation with the person you’re proud of. For example, you could modify a quote about being proud of a daughter to make it a quote about being proud of a son.
41. “I’m so proud of you that it makes me proud of me.” – John Green
This short and simple quote from the novel Will Grayson, Will Grayson that popular young adult novelist John Green co-authored with David Levithan is one you can use in a variety of circumstances when you want to let someone know they’re accomplishments have had a positive impact on your own feelings of self-worth.
42. “Be proud of your scars. They remind you that you have the will to live.” – Paolo Coelho
Sometimes, one of the best ways to express your pride in someone is to remind them that we all face challenges and make mistakes. Let them know you are proud of them for overcoming these difficulties.
43. “I’m proud of you for the times you came in second, or third, or fourth, but what you did was the best you have ever done.” – Fred Rogers
Mr. Rogers would be the one to remind us that we don’t need to be perfect for someone to be proud of us, wouldn’t he?
44. “I’m most proud of my family.” – Muhammed Ali
Even Muhammed Ali, one of the most notoriously competitive athletes in history, still knew the greatest source of pride in someone’s life can be their family, regardless of any other accomplishments they may have achieved.
45. “Your best champion and cheerleader is yourself. Always be proud of your accomplishments, big or small.” – Ayanna Howard
Although your goal may be to let someone know you are proud of them and their accomplishments, it’s sometimes wise to remind that person they have the right to be proud of himself or herself even if they don’t constantly hear others telling them how proud they are.
46. “Nothing is ever wrong. We learn from every step we take. Whatever you did today was the way it was meant to be. Be proud of you.” – Oprah Winfrey
If someone close to you is too self-critical, tell them that rather than feeling shame or regret over a perceived weakness or mistake, they should take pride in the fact that they wish to learn from their mistakes instead of ignoring them.
‘I’m So Proud of You’ Letter Examples
Sending someone a letter expressing pride in them and their accomplishments gives you the opportunity to more thoroughly explain exactly why you’re so proud of them. Although the specifics of such a letter will naturally depend on such factors as your relationship with the recipient, the nature of their accomplishments, etc., these basic examples can help you begin drafting your own letter if you’re not sure how to start:
47. Sample graduation letter
“Dear Bill,
I really hope you’re proud of yourself right now. I’m certainly proud of you.
Graduating from an esteemed university is an accomplishment all its own. However, you graduated with a spectacular GPA, a large network of new friends, and a long list of professors eager to help you begin pursuing your professional goals right away.
That doesn’t happen by accident. You always impressed both myself and pretty much everyone else who knew you with your discipline. You took your academic life seriously and worked hard to thrive as a student, all while being a reliable friend who knew how to be there for others in their time of need.
Knowing what I do about you, I don’t expect you to take much time off before you start applying to jobs and climbing the corporate ladder, but if anyone has earned a break, it’s you. Again, at the very least, now is a time to feel proud of yourself.”
48. Sample letter for someone who overcame a struggle
“Dear Jenn,
I know life hasn’t been easy for you these past couple of years. I’d rather not get into specifics, as you certainly don’t need anyone reminding you of the various struggles you’ve faced.
What you do need, I think, is to know that those of us lucky enough to call you a friend or member of our family have marveled at the incomparable way you’ve managed to face all these difficulties with strength and grace. Throughout these painful experiences, you haven’t allowed yourself to become bitter, unkind, or frustrated.
(If you have, you definitely never let those feelings impact the way you treated the important people in your life.)
Someone else in your position might not have been as strong. You’re an inspiration to all of us. I’m one of many people who is deeply proud of you, and I hope you know I’m always here if you ever need support.”
‘I’m So Proud of You’ Messages: Make Someone Feel Loved
Letting someone know you’re proud of them also lets them know you think they’re an admirable person. These “I’m so proud of you” messages will help you do so.
Post-planning tip: Receiving kind messages can be a part of the experience of a loss. If you are the executor for a deceased loved one, it’s tough to handle both the emotional and technical aspects of their unfinished business without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist that will help you ensure that your loved one’s family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.
