Wednesday, November 07, 2007
'Don't bring me down'
Conventional wisdom tells you that surrounding yourself with upbeat people is a good thing to do for your self esteem. Like.. "Seek to surround yourself with encouraging upbeat people who will inspire and motivate you rather than bring you down. Enthusiasm is contagious..."Bla bla bla.
Why then do I find the opposite to be true? My self confidence and mood tends to plummet in inverse proportion to how optimistic and upbeat someone is about themselves.
The more a bouncy and enthusiastic friend/acquaintance talked themselves up yesterday (new job, going well, everyone loves her...) the more inadequate and useless I felt about myself. I came home in a funk, and that funk continues today.
Not that I want to surround myself with pessimists just so I can feel comparatively better about myself, but 'glass half full' would do - it doesn't need to be overflowing... all over others.
I wonder if eternally optimistic, self-confident people realise how they might affect those of us who struggle with glass half emptiness... and feeling... different.
Anyway... after getting that off my chest, I'll just make a note to self not to hang around people who make me feel inadequate.
Labels: introspection
Comments:
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Y'know, those people you're talking about, they kinda make me tired. I mean, I'm fairly optimistic, with a heavy side order of cynicism, and it works for me. I think the folks you are referring to are making you feel down because (perhaps?) they're talking all about their wonderful accomplishments and not doing anything to draw you out to talk about yours. For petes sake! You ride a zillion miles on tandem bikes! Up hills! You have ACCOMPLISHMENTS! My family doesn't really have anything like that, that we do all together. I admire that so much about you and yours.
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