Let’s be honest, sometimes you should be awarded a medal just for pulling yourself out of bed in the morning. It’s not always easy being an adult, with responsibilities and schedules. Working for a living and spending money on bills and grocery shopping every weekend; because the fridge doesn’t magically restock itself. But as we’re told, at some point life demands we ‘grow up.’

So step on up, you’re due for a pat on the back. Here are five reasons why you should give yourself more credit.

You’re Independent

If you work some kind of job and work hard to better yourself, congratulation! You’re becoming independent. Even a part time job shows others you take yourself seriously and understand the value of a dollar. Part and full time jobs allow you to become patient with others, better your communication skills and learn to smile when you want to freak out.

Being independent means you’re learning to live within your means. Having your own place with your own things is empowering and expensive. Know you’re not at it alone. Learning how to make a budget and live within it will serve you well now and long-term. Spending money on the things that you need and being in control of your finances is, of course, a key factor of your independence. Being able to use a credit card with no prior credit history can make dealing with money from day to day more manageable; reading the article linked here can help with learning to do this.

You’re a Multi-tasker

When it comes to getting things done, you have a way of making more happen in less time. Between your regular work hours, homework and home duties you’re getting it done. Kuddos to you for running your life and your home—successfully. It takes determination, focus and a couple of deep breaths to start job #2 after job #1.

Being a multi-tasker means you have your eye on the prize and you understand that getting things done means putting in a little elbow grease. It’s not always easy to keep going, going, going so don’t forget to stop and remind yourself of how much you’re kicking ass.

You’re a Go-Getter

You understand that getting to where you want to be in life, means clocking in the hours—no handouts, just hard work. At your job you go above and beyond to perform the tasks to the best of your ability. You work to step out of your comfort zone and accept new opportunities if and when they appear. You’re all about bettering yourself professionally and grabbing all the real-world experience you can handle.

When it comes to being reliable, your co-workers, manager and boss know they can count on you. You’re good for your word and always put your best in everything you do. You understand that your work is a direct representation of who you are and you take pride in what you produce.

You Have a Life

If you can juggle all the above and still have a personal life, you’ve reached gold-status. With only 24 hours in the day and an endless list of to-do’s, it sometimes feels like those most important to you fall to the way side. Setting aside time for not only yourself, but your friends and family can be challenging. It takes a true gold-status-rockstar to juggle life’s most demanding daily events.

Remember that your checklist doesn’t need to be complete every day. It’s important to have a glass of wine and de-stress. Taking interest in activities that make you smile is super important. Life can seem like an endless list of pulling your life together and solving problems. Finding ways to relax as hard as you work will help you stay at your prime and energize you for the week ahead.