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Finding Balance
Bragging Rights
By Victoria Crispin, staff writer
Were the girls in my school who publicly boasted about their successes and accomplishments—lets call them "the braggers"—self-centered, arrogant, and un-cool? Or were they just confident to share their personal achievements?
It is impossible that the braggers were the only ones who had something to be proud of. However, it is very possible that they were the only ones who felt confident enough to announce their proud moments to the world.
Off the top of my head, I can name a thousand reasons why someone might hide their talents and strengths—wanting to fit in and avoiding the snickers of jealous classmates are right at the top of the list. But it took me a really long time to figure out why someone would want to speak out about the things she does well—after all, most of my time was spent in the comfort of silence when it came to my personal feats and triumphs, even though I had just as many things going for me as the braggers did.
Toot Your Own Horn
Recognizing and celebrating the things you do well will help you get to know yourself, boost your confidence, and help you remember what makes you unique and special. Follow these four steps from STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! The Real Deal to claim your bragging rights:
- Your Special Sauce
Think of your talents and strengths as the ingredients for the great recipe that is you. What makes you special? Do you play a sport? Rap or sing? Paint to express your feelings? Do you listen attentively to your friends' drama? Decide what you're good at and go with it.
- Tea Time, Dahhhling
Make a date with a close friend or relative to discuss the things that he or she thinks you are good at or that make you special. Compare your list with theirs and talk about whether or not you agree with what the person said about you and any thoughts about their perception of you. Is there anything new that you discovered about yourself? Or did you realize that you already have a good grasp of your uniqueness?
- What Lies Beneath
Choose one thing that people may not know about you and think about one way you could let people see that part of you. This could be as simple as participating more in class or deciding to join a team or club that focuses on something more extravagant like showcasing your skills in a performance.
- Your Miss America Moment
Let's be real. We've all felt that overwhelming feeling of pride for a job well done and felt the urge to do the wave and beam the smile. Download this moment in time onto your brain's memory card. Keep this experience and others like it in the front of your memory as a reminder of your accomplishments.
Celebrating your talents and strengths, singing your own praises, tooting your own horn, and even bragging are everyone's right and should be exercised as such. How else will others know just how great you are?
uniquely ME! THE GIRL SCOUT/DOVE SELF-ESTEEM PROGRAM was established in the fall of 2001 to boost self-esteem among girls ages 8 to 17. The uniquely ME! resources are available for all girls.
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