Member-only story
Why can’t I just enjoy showing off?
Because I’m afraid of your envy and disapproval.
My mom told me that someone she met at a convention wanted to get some advice from me about becoming a writer. My mom didn’t really know this woman, they had just started chatting at the coffee station. The woman told my mom she had published a few articles in community newsletters and was looking to start a career in writing. My mom mention that her daughter is a writer, so this woman asked if she could connect us. I told my mom “Just ask her to Google me and she can find my contact details.” What I was really thinking was, “Ask this woman to Google me and she’ll see all the cool things I’ve done.”
I know…such an obnoxious and self-aggrandizing thought, I felt sheepish right after I thought it! But I’m proud of my accomplishments and I want people to see them. Is that so bad? I’m no Elon Musk or Taylor Swift but I’ve been doing some interesting things with my life, you know what I mean?
Let’s face it, people show off all the time on social media. Instagram is all about tooting one’s own horn, isn’t it? “Look at where I’ve been on holiday. Look at the fancy food that I eat? Look at my fabulous body, kids, partners, art, pet, etcetera, etcetera”. The worlds of academia and art are all about horn-tooting too. “I’ve published X number of articles this year. I’ve published and you have…
