How to Deal with a Fashionable Lack of Self Esteem
In an age where successfully confident empowerment is the
Lord High Desire,
There exists a downright irritating irony… no, worse… a total contradiction.
Your see, the coveted few (though more than you think) who possess these
gems, those who
Undoubtedly inspire,
Must pretend to think nothing of themselves.
See, it is perfectly expectable to have talent, brains, and skill. And to
display it is delightful,
Long as the display is kept meek.
And to expect compliments is well… expected, long as they’re not accepted,
but modestly denied.
In fact, it seems refusing you have any redeeming qualities
Is positively chic.
But here’s the twist that irks me most. It’s an evil spiral, let me tell you.
It starts with “Oh, my dear Jessalyn, how wonderful you sang tonight, you
have the most
Magnificent voice!”
And goes on with “Oh, but darling Hyacinth, my voice is truly nothing.”
And if poor Jessie wanted only a brief chat, her reply was one of
very poor choice.
Now, you see, she’s sparked an unending stream of “Oh, pish-posh” and
“Certainly
You know you’re good.”
And she does, but she must continue in the negative or face a dire
consequence.
For the moment her exhausted tongue slips and utters, “Oh, you’re right, I’m
fine,” she’s behaving
As a snob would.
And so you see a bit of praise becomes an emotional hostage situation, where
one’s very
Sanity is pressed.
Well, to combat it I’ve devised a clever quip. When someone says, “You’re
great,” I reply, “Why thank you”
with bright eyes and full smile.
Because letting them think that I’m stuck up now, saves a me a great deal of
Undue stress.