The Power of Celebration: Why Your Gal Pal's Money Wins Deserve a Toast
We need to talk about something we don't do enough: celebrating each other's financial wins.
Not the big, obvious ones like buying a house or getting a massive promotion (though those deserve champagne too). I'm talking about the everyday financial wins that we often keep quiet about because, well, discussing money can feel awkward. The paid-off credit card. The first investment account. The courageous conversation about a raise. The decision to finally look at that 401k statement.
These moments? They deserve to be seen, acknowledged, and celebrated.
Why Celebration Matters
This week, I had the privilege of witnessing something beautiful: with our 2025 PAL+ cohort. These women spent the year showing up for monthly meetings, setting commitments, sharing wins, and learning alongside each other. They built their Financial Confidence through three powerful pillars:
Financial Knowledge - Learning the language and concepts of money
Financial Practice - Actually doing the things, even when it felt scary
Financial A-Team - Building a community of support and accountability
But here's what struck me most: the way they toasted each other.
Not generic congratulations. Real, specific recognition of each other's journeys. Sometimes the things we don’t see in ourselves. They noticed when Coco launched her swim business. They celebrated when Elaine got a new job in alignment with her values. They cheered for Sophia's growing confidence and Katie's intentional spending challenges. They witnessed Ebonie finishing her taxes and buying a car to start househacking. They applauded Aubrey's debt payoff and career pivot.
They saw each other. And in being seen, each woman's progress became real, valid, and worth honoring.
The Ripple Effect of Recognition
When Emily thanked Jenn for "giving us the gift of her time, presence, and knowledge," she was doing more than expressing gratitude. She was naming the impact of leadership and generosity in a financial community.
When Aubrey told Coco "I can't believe we all got to witness the birth of your swim business," she was normalizing entrepreneurship as something real women in her circle actually do.
When Sophia celebrated Katie's "realistic goals that lead to big things," she was validating that small, consistent actions matter just as much as dramatic financial overhauls.
Every toast was a permission slip. Permission to be proud. Permission to keep going. Permission to believe that financial confidence is possible.
How to Celebrate Your Gal Pals
So how do we bring this energy into our own friendships? Here's how to start:
Notice the details. Don't just say "congrats on your new job." Say "I love how you advocated for yourself in that negotiation" or "I'm so proud of you for choosing a role that aligns with your values even though the other offer paid more."
Name the growth. Point out when you see someone's confidence shifting. "I noticed you talked about investing today without that nervous laugh you used to do. That's growth."
Acknowledge the hard stuff. Some of the most important financial wins are the unsexy ones. Finishing taxes. Ending a subscription. Having a tough money conversation with a partner. These deserve recognition, too.
Make it specific. Generic praise is nice. Specific recognition is transformative. Instead of "you're doing great," try "I see how intentional you've been about building your emergency fund this year, even when unexpected expenses came up."
Find the space. The Pledgettes created our PAL and PAL+ Programs to give you the space to practice this.
Normalizing Money Talks, One Toast at a Time
Here's the truth: we can't normalize talking about money until we actually start talking about money. And celebration is one of the most joyful entry points into these conversations.
When we celebrate someone for maxing out their Roth IRA, we're signaling that investing is something normal people do. When we cheer for a friend who negotiated a raise, we're showing that advocating for yourself is possible. When we toast someone for starting therapy or taking a solo trip or launching a business, we're expanding what financial confidence looks like.
The women in this PAL+ group didn't just learn about compound interest and tax-advantaged accounts (though they did that too). They learned that their financial journeys matter. That their wins are worth celebrating. That they don't have to figure this out alone.
Your Challenge
This week, notice one financial win from someone in your life. It could be a friend, a colleague, a sister, a neighbor. Then tell them you see it. Be specific. Celebrate them.
Text them: "I loved hearing about how you used your credit card points for that trip. That's such a smart way to make your spending work for you!"
Say it out loud: "I'm really proud of you for having that money conversation with your partner. I know that wasn't easy."
Make the toast: "To you, for showing up for yourself and your financial future. Your consistency this year has been inspiring."
Because here's what I know: your gal pal is probably doing amazing things with her money, and she might not even realize it herself. She might be second-guessing her decisions, wondering if she's doing enough, and feeling alone in her financial journey.
Your recognition could be the thing that shifts her perspective. Your celebration could be the encouragement she needs to keep going.
So raise your glass (or your coffee mug, or your water bottle). To the women who are figuring it out. To the ones taking action. To the communities that make financial confidence possible.
And to you, for being the kind of friend who notices, who celebrates, who normalizes talking about money.
Here's to all of us becoming the rich aunties we were meant to be. 🥂
See our 2025 PAL+ gals celebrate one of their wins from 2025! And a huge thank you to The Girls Room Denver for partnering with us on this program!
Want to be part of a group of women working on their Big Financial Goals? Check out our programs and our community. PAL+ 2026 is meeting on the second of Tuesdays of the month. Fill out the interest form and let’s get you going on February 10th!
