Be proud. Look up to those who are better than you, but be proud of you. 

24 years since I came to Norway for the first time. almost 26 years since my master degree (at age of 23). 10 years as professor (at age of 37) and 10 weeks as department head. Firstnow I admit and encourage my self to be proud. 

So many days spent at feeling not adequate, not clever enought. So many tears as I have get negative feedbacks, or rejections to an application, or just a rude comment. Or as I had made a mistake. 

When I was a little girl, I get the message that it was not ok at all to be proud. Nor to be an intellectual person. My beloved grandmother used to tell me that “Intellectual women are like tight shoes, one is looking forward to take them off” (le donne intellettuali son come le scarpe strette non si vede l’ora di levarsele di torno).  But then she used to buy a lot of books to me and she was a great leader of her four house keepers and she was very proud her self. The rest of the family, exept from me, still criticized her to have been a proud and bossy woman. 

Dear girls, boys, colleagues, friends, dears those who do not like me, be proud of yourself and what you have achieved. Admire those who succeed without comparing ourself to everybody in everything.  Be proud of you and those around you.  Have you made mistakes? Be proud. Those who do not do, do not make mistakes.