Monday 3 October 2011

My truth - I love to share!


I am a supportive person by nature. I genuinely enjoy encouraging others to be and do their best and give praise and encouragement by the truckloads. I see the positive in people and openly celebrate their positives.
In addition I love sharing. I just can’t help but share good things I experience especially with those closest to me. My Mum and girlfriends have been on the receiving end of many text messages, email and phone calls from me excitedly sharing good news or thoughts or sights with them. I love to share the joy I find in everyday things with those around me. I love to share joyous news and accomplishments belonging not only to me but also others.
As you may have read here I was recently offered my very first writing job. This is a very big deal to me and caused a lot of excitement (I am still pinching myself)! Naturally I am keen to share my joyous news with those around me, but it leaves me questioning, where is the line between celebrating an accomplishment with others and ‘bragging’?
I never really thought much about this in the past, however recently it came to light that some people are not overly comfortable with others verbalising their accomplishments. I feel genuine excitement when friends receive good news and want to share it with me. I enjoy a friend sharing their excitement at their child doing well at school or in sporting endeavours, or an accomplishment they themselves have received at work or in their personal life. I genuinely like to celebrate the good, in everyone. I have discovered though, as we are all very different, others may find my habit of openly sharing my news as unnecessary. I do not quite understand why, perhaps it is perceived to others as me ‘bragging’. So I found myself briefly thinking twice about what I share. Do I tell my friends about my excitement of landing my first writing job? Will they be genuinely happy for me or do they find my display of openness in sharing this news as boastful? I looked bragging up in the dictionary and it is essentially described as ‘to talk boastfully, in an arrogant manner’. I am in no way arrogant about my fabulous news, I am very humble and even astounded that SOMEONE likes my writing THAT MUCH. Like I said, I keep pinching myself. I don’t think I am arrogant, but I guess to some that is how I could be perceived.
As a result of this recent knowledge I initially found myself thinking twice about sharing my excitement over my accomplishments with some. Perhaps I should just keep it within my immediate family and let the news spread naturally itself? But then I wouldn’t be true to myself. I love others sharing their excitement with me, in fact I encourage it, so why should I change my own tendency to share? In my quest to be more truthful to myself and to accept my truth, I realise that changing my nature or habits to please or protect others goes against just that. I speak my truth and my truth is I love to share. That is me, being me.

Have you ever felt uncomfortable after sharing exciting news with a friend, noticing they didn’t feel excited or supportive? Do you yourself feel uncomfortable hearing others share their excitement?

{image source: Pinterest}

11 comments:

  1. I can relate to that feeling - but work really hard not to let it dominate.
    If the people around you can't celebrate your success/achievement/delight/surprise/good news/relief... then maybe that says more about them than you.
    Even at some low points I would hate to think that I couldn't be happy for others' joy.
    When we were struggling with infertility I desperately wanted those who were enjoying pregnancies and babies to be able to share their happiness with me. (Sure, I cried myself to sleep in the midnight hour - but it was important to me that they knew I took nothing away from their blessings.)

    Share on, beautiful!
    :-)

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  2. Share my dear! My gosh! Share share share :)

    Hell, I'd have hired a plane to write it in the sky! :)

    You are so humble, & you should be so proud of yourself. And if anyone makes you feel like you're bragging? Well, they're not a true friend & they're just jealous. And we all know jealousy is the worst kind of emotion.

    Oh, & p.s that quote up the top? It's literally one of my favorites xx

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  3. Get on the top of the mountain and shout to tell the world....scream, sing, write and anything else it takes you to tell everybody what you have achieved. The non achievers are the jealous ones. Boust, bragg, put a note on the notice board, you worked hard for your achievement. So very proud of you xx Jealousy is such a debilitating emotion...all it does is destroying oneself. Love yu xx

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  4. Wonderful, wonderful news! Congratulations...so much to be excited about here, why would one not want to share and why would others not want to share in the happiness with you?

    Jealousy is such a silly emotion.

    I love popping back to read about your thoughts. So articulate and well expressed. xoxox

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  5. Another really great post Peggy. I totally understand what you are saying. I am always mindful not to sound too boasty about good things happening in my life... even if I want to shout it from the rooftops. I think humble is the key, as you've mentioned here. No one can think poorly of someone who is humble.
    But at the end of the day, some people are just naturally envious types, so anything good happening to someone else can bring out the worst in them. I have a mixture of those varying types of friends and have learnt how to adapt how I share my news or stories. Shame it has to be that way. Luckily it's only a couple of them who fit into the 'envious of good things happening' category. I think your writing opportunity is fantastic Peggy, tell the world I say :o) xo

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  6. Shar the fact you allowed and encouraged others to share their baby joy during such a difficult time for you just shows what a remarkable person you are. I know we are sharers of the same kind you and I. :)

    @Cherie, yes I think you are right. I am not jealous by nature so I genuinely enjoy hearing good news from others. I think you're right in that perhaps jealousy comes into play for others so they don't like hearing others' accomplishments and success stories. Share and keep on sharing I say! :) xo

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  7. Thanks Mum, it isn't like I am sitting around doing nothing and opportunities land in my lap, I am striving and working towards my dream of writing. I am still walking around with a spring in my step. Hubby might be over hearing me say "OMG can you believe I got my first writing job?" though!

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  8. Thank you Kellie, you always have the kindest, encouraging words. It's support from people like yourself that remind me I am doing what I love.

    Thank you. :) xo

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  9. Julie that's what I found myself thinking, that I would have to filter who I do and don't share such news with. I guess we do that with other areas of our behaviour, we do and don't say certain things with certain people. I think awareness is the key. And in the interim, I will shout it from rooftops! :) xo

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  10. Oh Peggy, I know how you feel. I am so open, I sometimes catch myself to gauge the reaction of those I'm sharing with and think the same thing. I have to agree with Shar and Cherie - please share away! I am all ears and have an open heart. I love hearing about achievements of others but just generally enjoy an open conversation.

    I've also got some of the best advice I've ever received after sharing something about myself.

    I've have actually drafted a post on a similar theme. I desperately want to share and record some stories that are important to me (my experience with pregnancy and labor for instance) but have stopped myself because I’m not sure if people want to hear it and I am worried I may inadvertently offend someone. So your post has come just at the right time for me. It really is important to share for so many reasons.

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  11. I wholeheartedly agree Teresa, we learn so much from others sharing. I love reading what others have to share, and quite simply if I come across something I am not really interested in, I don't keep reading. For that reason you absolutely have to share your pregnancy and labor stories. You won't know how many new mums and mums-to-be out there are looking for advice and information, and this www of ours is the perfect place to seek it.

    I think the main thing for me (and perhaps you) is I should just be myself, and if that includes sharing my joy and excitement then so be it.

    I love reading your blog, so keep the stories coming! I look forward to you publishing that drafted post. :) xo

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