Your Biggest Cheerleader Should be You. Got it?
You can't expect others to clap for you when they don't comprehend all you do. Only you know what it really took to get you here. You alone hold the ringside season ticket, the all-access backstage pass, and have the view from centre stage.
At times, we need to be our own coach, mentor, parent, friend, role model, critic, and cheerleader. Most of us are pretty good at rolling through the required roles and showing up for ourselves like the badasses we are, yet somehow the cheerleader role rarely gets its turn.
Have you ever wondered why that is?! Are we too busy diminishing our accomplishments; focusing on what's next... And then what's next after that... Not a moment of pause to appreciate everything we have done, the personal progress, and hard-won evolution?!
It's not okay.
You must be celebrated.
And you must be the one to do it.
When's the last time you high-fived you?
We’re pros at showing up for everyone else—applauding their wins, backing their bold moves, and hyping their weirdness. But our own success? We roast our everyday triumphs like savage hecklers. Maybe getting out of bed was your first win of the day. Cheers to you with that morning brew. And giggle at the cringeworthy rhyme. Relax. This is your story. You can edit the storyline whenever you want.
Humble makes you small.
External validation is overrated and sometimes toxic, if you're addicted to it. And who hasn't been a little overly interested in a social media like or two?! You don’t need a fan club to prove you’re worthy; you simply need to toast yourself.
Reasons why shameless self-celebration is essential:
- It builds momentum. Every fist pump today is rocket fuel for tomorrow.
- It rewires sabotage. Recognition is the middle finger to your inner critic.
- It reinforces your quirks. Own your weird—it’s your sharpest edge.
Ways you’re doing better than you give yourself credit for:
- You probably checked your email and responded to something.
- It's likely you ate or are about to feed yourself a meal or snack.
- Did you leave the house to walk your dog or run a small errand?
It’s time to stop trashing the evidence that proves you’re showing up. Yes, simply showing up for yourself is worth celebrating.
🥱 Pony's Thoughts for Getting Out of Suckville
Feeling down on yourself—as though you'll never amount to anything—is like rolling in manure and wondering why you stink. 
Stop whirling around in shitty thoughts and acting surprised when your brain smells horrid.
If you've ever found yourself stuck in a tear, this one is for you. We all feel down, but staying there is a choice. Get up. Tell your thoughts to get the heck up.
Cheer for yourself like you’re the main event.
We’re quick to clap for everyone else. Show up to their parties, celebrate their milestones, their bold leaps, even their weird quirks. 
And when it comes to our own wins? We downplay, deflect, or bury them under a pile of “no big deals.” That ends here. The loudest applause in your life should always come from you.
Who's the main event?
You are!
Microdose yourself with bite-sized celebrations. Big shiny stuff is easy to cheer for. The real magic? The little, offbeat, unapologetically you moments. Celebrating yourself is not weird. It's the most normal thing there is. And no, it does not make you a narcassist. It just makes your mental health game that much healthier.
Little ways you can get your cheer on:
- Quitting before it stops being fun = self-respect.
- Wearing ponytastic socks in a sea of greys = authentic expression.
- Saying “not for me” instead of an instant yes = boundaries in action.
- Leaving a group chat without a breakup essay = boundaries upgraded.
- Eating cereal for supper when it’s what you wanted = self-care, not shame.
- Wearing sequins to the grocery store = sparkle is a survival tactic.
- Taking a nap instead of “pushing through” = rebellion in action.
- Sending the assertive text and surviving = boldness unlocked.
- Declaring Friday night a dance party for one = main character energy.
- Saying “no” without a follow-up excuse = power move.
- Ordering a fun drink with extra sprinkles = whimsy well served.
Each of those deserves a hell yeah.
Give yourself props before giving any away.
Inside Kiss My Pony, this is what we do: root for the tiny wins, laugh at the sabotage, and remind each other that showing up—even half-formed and imperfect—is worth cheering. When you hype yourself up, you’re not just keeping score. You’re reminding yourself and the universe that you’re the main event.
👉 Is today the right day to join Pony Friday’s self-full journey? Your call.
High-five yourself for a quick mental boost.
What? Does that feel odd to you? High-fiving yourself isn’t cheesy—it’s survival. Think of it as flipping the bird to burnout and self-doubt in one swift smack. 
Every time you hype your own effort, you rewire that sneaky “not enough” soundtrack into something way louder: I showed up, and that matters. That simple move sparks dopamine, slaps your inner heckler quiet, and reminds your brain you’re not just coping—you’re building grit. Mental health doesn’t always look like meditation cushions and green juice. Sometimes, it’s giving yourself a ridiculous, unapologetic high five and carrying on. High hoof from us!
Confetti is for TODAY!
Perfect is overrated. You know it. We know it. Hard to let go of... Giving yourself credit isn't about waiting for the results to be flawless. Showing up has value. Effort has value. Progress has value. Noticing your contribution has value. Maybe you showed up and things got messy and you felt disappointed. We all wrestle with expectations that misalign with reality. That's normal. Even if you didn't "nail it" how you expected to, you can still call it a win.
Here are a few starter self-credit ideas:
- “Choosing the kinder option for my body is a good habit.”
- “My ability and contributions are consistently improving.”
- “The only person whose judgment matters is my own.”
- “I've taught myself a mindblowing amount of things.”
- “Seven-year-old me is constantly in awe of who I am.”
Your life is happening right now, whether you're ready or not. That special occasion you've been waiting for is today. Get the cake, dig out the candles, find some streamers, and blow up the balloons. You deserve to be celebrated.
Pony Friday + Kiss My Pony were created to supercharge your life:
🌶️ Workshops ⬅️ Join a community where your best is the goal.
🌶️ Online Shop ⬅️ Bold gear to stand out instead of blending in.
🎈 Elise's Take on Balloon-Popping Struggles
Stress is something I know well. I was raised on it by entrepreneurs whose finances yo-yoed throughout my childhood. Chill doesn't come naturally for me. 
Pressure for me generally shows up as anxiety that can simultaneously cripple me into inaction and help me achieve impressive things. With every breath, we must decide if we're under our mountain or climbing it.
Dealing with an inner asshole takes practice. You have to keep reminding it of all you've done. I like to acknowledge when it's right. Yes, I struggled or failed, but I can learn from that and also focus on where I did well. There are days when things don't go well at all, and I have to remember that I keep myself and my dogs alive. We walk every day. I always show up and do my best. I respond to clients promptly. I rarely drop the ball. I overfunction. I deserve rest.
You deserve rest.
In a parallel universe, we all have our own cheerleading spirit animals that sit on our shoulders and tell us how well we're doing. In this universe, my inner critic has been controlling the running dialogue.
Things that help me when I struggle:
- Using sticker charts and habit trackers to revisit the facts
- Giving myself a treat because I exist; no need to "earn" it
- Prioritizing creativity and play over constant productivity
It's pretty hard to outsmart yourself. The best thing to do is see it as a long game of chess, and when the asshole makes a move, you'd better be ready with a "checkmate" to set them back in their place.
What's on your scoreboard?
We all keep score in one form or another, so it's what’s on your scoreboard that really matters. What are you tracking? Your effort or outside applause? Start counting what actually fuels you: 
the small steps, the quiet progress, the way you show up for yourself. Having your own back means noticing all the things you do and giving yourself ample credit.
What the heck is ample credit?
You decide.
Nobody’s life looks great up close. If you find yourself feeling envious, check your knowledge depth on that person—or question how curated their story might be. Cheering yourself on takes practice. Don’t worry if it feels awkward or even "cringe" at first. That’s all part of your becoming.
If you’re curious about how the early journey unfolded for us, our founder wrote about it. We’re totally biased in recommending this non-fairytale, Elise Russell original, Behave Boldly: Your Dreams Won’t Chase Themselves.
🐴 TL;DR: You Deserve Recognition = Quit Heckling Yourself
AKA: Any Negative Inner Dialogue Needs To End Right This Second
Stop bowing down to every “should” that races through your mind and start hyping what you actually DID!! Those messy, scrappy, tiny wins are proof you’re showing up. That deserves props. You’re allowed to have main character syndrome in your own life. Kiss My Pony's built for keeping you moving in the right direction.
Now get out there and be your own hype squad!
Kiss My Pony
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Kiss My Pony •
Behave Boldly
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Behave Boldly •
