Week 1: Why is it Taboo?

Growing up, most of us might’ve been taught that bragging is bad, so it’s best to avoid sharing our successes and accomplishments for fear of being judged or labelled as bothersome. But, there is so much value in being able to not only celebrate the achievements of others but celebrating yourself and what you achieve—even if you’ve been told otherwise. This week, we’re looking into why it’s taboo to self-promote and talk about yourself in a positive light. 

In trying to break down this process, it’s not always a clear path. When we’ve been conditioned to think of being proud of ourselves and sharing it is a negative thing. While it can be challenging to work through how we can change this mindset, but first, let’s look at why we think this way. This article notes that taking pride in your work and positive moments shouldn’t be a bad thing. While it takes time to feel comfortable sharing your success, the reward is quite fulfilling. Some factors can affect how we celebrate ourselves including gender (men tend to be more confident about celebrating their success, while women aren’t) and the unfamiliarity with wanting to share your highs in life. If you’re in the mood, we suggest thinking about some past moments where you didn’t want to share your achievements and ask yourself why. Were you scared? Uncomfortable? Feeling shameful? Didn’t want to feel like you were bragging? Try thinking about it like this: sharing your success is a form of storytelling, and you’re sharing your story with others because you’re grateful, with no ill-intentions. It will take time, but sharing your good moments will help you become more confident in yourself.