As someone who writes for a living, you would think I would be better at describing myself and what I do when someone asks.
Well, if you think that, you would be wrong.
As soon as someone poses that question, my mind goes immediately blank. I’m left to awkwardly change the subject to something else.
This makes me wonder, when the situation calls for it, why can’t we sing our own praises?
Robynne Henry The Henry Hype
When the topic comes up between myself and others, I’ve found there’s a consensus. A lot of people have the issue of selling themselves, and have also pondered why they struggle with it.
I think a major concern some of us have is coming off as arrogant or conceded. I was taught that no one likes a bragger, and don’t really think I grasped what the difference is between praising yourself and coming on too strong.
While I can go on and on about a friend or family member when someone asks, I freeze up when I’m asked to talk about myself. This comes out a lot during job interviews, which should be the right time to say how awesome you are.
When I’m trying to present myself, I’ve tried a tactic where I pretend I’m describing a friend instead. I try to remember the ways others have talked positively about me and translate that to the situation. It’s actually worked quite a bit, and it’s part of my advice when the conversation does come up. If it’s easier for us to describe someone else, it seems like a simple solution if you struggle with it.
Another tactic could be to ask family and friends to describe you and explain why they think that about you. If you’re an over-analyzer like me, it could be a nice change to focus on some positive aspects of yourself that others see rather than the negatives.
While these might not work for everyone, I’ve found they have helped me in the long run. I do still get uncomfortable when I’m prompted to talk about myself and would often rather change the subject, but I don’t panic nor do I think I come across as arrogant.
I’m an honest person, and I like to think I know what my strengths and weaknesses are. If I struggle with them, I just ask the people close to me and they’re always willing to share their thoughts.
When the situation calls for it though, I encourage you to not be afraid to sing your own praises.
