Friday, October 8, 2010

Once Upon A Time I Had A Life, Too!

So why is it so hard for women to talk about themselves? When I wrote my first Goodness Gracious column, "Don't Expect Me to Talk About Meeee," it really struck me how many of my friends have a difficult time discussing their own accomplishments. We can talk about our children (which can be obnoxious in its own right), our spouses, siblings, shoot I've even heard people brag about distant cousins or being in college with Sandra Bullock (OK, that was me, and I really was in college with her - just never met her - Accounting and Drama majors didn't exactly hang together). But when it comes to talking about yourself and your own accomplishments we suddenly get the "goodness gracious, you don't want to hear about me" syndrome. So what do you think makes it so hard? And how do we do it without being obnoxious? 'Cause we all had our own lives...once upon a time.

6 comments:

  1. Well my son is reading more than I am lately--he's almost done with the first Harry Potter, and he just turned 8. He's advanced, you know. HA!
    And my cousin is publisher of Marvel Comics....Oh, wait a minute, me. Hmmm.
    I prefer to let my friends recommend me, seriously. My friend Evelyn can still do a split! And she's a wiz with numbers!
    I think Mommydom has tempered my ego tremendously, for good and bad. I prefer to rejoice in my child's accomplishments, knowing that he deserves credit. On the flip side, Mommydom is so darn humbling as I realize how little I have to do with a child being born and watching his personality/gifts surface...It's not a bad thing to take the back seat, unless you do it all the time, which is probably what happens over time...and then you start writing and getting it out, swinging to the opposite extreme. What the hell, life is a trip. Friends help!

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  2. Life is a trip (unless you can do a split, and then it's more like a constant slide..to oblivion...just kidding). I think it's very true that Mommydom is humbling. Nothing can make you realize how little you know than being a parent. Hmmm, I need more help in figuring this out...

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  3. My mother is a career housewife and mother (well kids and grandkids are pretty much grown now), but it was pretty well ingrained into us that we should never outshine our husbands. Perhaps that is why we are so quick to sing everyone's praises but our own?

    I say keep blogging, and it will get easier. Brag away!

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  4. Julie Anne - I really think you've hit it there! Men expect their place in the sun, and we've always given it to them! Time for us to shine!!

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  5. Oh what is the saying 'behind every great man is an even greater woman' haha

    Persoanlly I dont like to talk about myself but I like to think that a bit of mystery may be good. Oh well that is my excuse anyway!

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  6. I'm not even comfortable talking about myself amoung friends, and I understand what Julie is saying. Whenever we used to go to my Mama's house it was "Get up and get your husband some tea." I once told her he had legs and could get it himself....well, we know how that went over.

    Our deeds are supposed to show how good we are without talking, but what's life without a little self-promotion now and then.

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