We all know somebody who loves to “keep receipts.” Screenshots, texts, side notes, ready to pull out Exhibit A, B, and C whenever somebody forgets or misconstrues what was said. So many of us can remember verbatim something that was said three thanksgivings ago that offended us, but recently I was with a friend and I asked her what she had done to celebrate herself or mark an occasion that was personally significant to her. She had to pause and think. So my question is what if we flipped the receipt energy What if you started keeping receipts on yourself, e.g. on the ways you’ve chosen you lately? I’m talking about the time you said no to that “quick favor” you didn’t have the bandwidth for. That Saturday you rested instead of hustling through errands like you were auditioning for Superwoman. The investment you made in therapy, coaching, or a class that stretched your mind instead of waiting for someone else to “fix” you. Because those are receipts that will help you to become better. And let me tell you, I’ve got my own stack. e.g. the time I took a full week off work simply to write, breathe, and exhale after months of carrying too much. Another example is the moment I invested in coaching for myself. Yes, even while I was coaching and holding space for everyone else, I invested in coaching for me because I knew I needed a place where I could be poured into. And another? Choosing to prioritize peace over chaos in relationships. Over the past few months I have committed to letting go of situations that demanded more of me than they ever gave back. I keep those receipts as my proof points and reminders that I’m showing up for me. Because here’s the thing, we’re quick to record how others have failed us, but we rarely take stock of the quiet, powerful ways we’ve shown up for ourselves. And if you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss the evidence of your own growth and end up forgetting and/or giving other people credit for the efforts you have made to grow and evolve. So how about this, start documenting your receipts of how you show up for your self. Keep a list on your phone, a note in your planner, a jar on your desk – whatever works. Find a cute name for it like My Joy Ledger, The Worth File, or The Glow Report. Each time you choose rest, boundaries, peace, or growth, jot it down – keep a record. Why? Because there will be days when your old patterns will come knocking. Days when self-doubt whispers, “You’re not doing enough,” or, “You haven’t changed.” That’s when you pull out your receipts. That’s when you remind yourself, with proof in hand, “Actually, I have invested in me over and over again.” The receipts tell the story. They show the pattern. And they become undeniable evidence that you are evolving, you are growing, you are becoming. So yes, keep the receipts. But make sure they’re the ones that point you back to your strength, your courage, your joy, your becoming. That’s the proof you really need. Because one day you’ll look back at the stack you’ve collected and realize, you transformed. And the beauty of keeping these kinds of receipts is what they give back to you, greater awareness of how far you’ve come, deeper appreciation for the strength it took to get here, and undeniable evidence that you are worthy of every good thing in your life. They prepare you to walk boldly into your future life where your worth is documented in every choice you made to honor yourself. And that, my love, is the kind of receipt no one can ever dispute.
