Having confidence about something is quite different from being conceited about something. And if you’re an adult, you should never brag.
“There’s a line that separates having confidence and being conceited. I don’t cross that line, but I have a lot of confidence in myself.” – Paul Pierce
It’s true, you can be confident without being conceited. While the two words seem to get intermingled, they are not synonymous with each other. Part of becoming a mature adult is realizing the difference.
Remember when you were a kid and you would brag about your most recent (and totally awesome) toy? Or did you ever brag about who you were dating in high school? Maybe your brag of choice was about getting good grades. Whatever it was, we all had our moments as children when we felt the need to show off. However, as adults, this behaviour is usually something you don’t see very often.
Or at least…you shouldn’t. Thanks to social media, we now have several outlets to display our achievements and material gains, and some people really take advantage of that opportunity. Perhaps a bit too much.
Here are 4 things grown adults should never brag about:
1. Where you work, or what you do for a living
Let’s face it, the majority of the world does not love their job. They don’t even like it. For most people, they get up and go to work to pay their bills and feed themselves or their family. It’s not a passion, it’s a job.
So, if you are one of the lucky people who loves their job, their boss, and the company they work for, that’s wonderful, but not everyone needs to hear about it all the time. A lot of folks don’t enjoy their time at work, and the last thing they want to hear about when they are done with their day, is how great your job is, or how much money your are making (especially if they didn’t ask).
If you’ve worked hard to get where you are in your profession, then congratulations! You should be proud of yourself. But stop expecting the rest of the world to feel the same way you do about yourself. It should be enough that you have accomplished what you have, whether or not anyone else knows or approves of it.
2. What vehicle you drive
This is a personal pet-peeve of mine, and I apologize if I offend anyone out there, but plastering photos of your “ride” all over social media is what a 17 year-old does. Not a grown adult.
It could be a shiny new truck with personalized mud flaps, or a tricked-out Honda with painted brake calipers. Either way, no one wants to see it in their news feed, or hear about it in a conversation. Unless you have car enthusiast friends, you’re going to be alone on this one.
It’s only fair to mention, that if you have built your engine, or worked on your car yourself, then you should feel a sense of accomplishment, just don’t brag about it.
3. Which sports team you support
I grew up in a house with parents who both loved different teams. Needless to say, the excessive bragging about which team did what became tiresome. I still find this to be true in everyday conversations.
It honestly doesn’t matter how great “your” team is, or how awful they are, because it’s not “your” team. You had nothing to do with them winning or losing, and your support doesn’t make you an effective member of the team. So stop bragging already.
4. Your partner or spouse
Some things deserve to be kept private, like the intimate moments you and your partner share. Not everything you do with them needs to be shared with social media, or with your friends in the workplace.
If you’ve finally found the love of your life and you want to show them off, that’s fine. But learn when enough is enough. Your close friends and family members will be happy that you have found “the one,” but the rest of the world might not care as much as you’d like to think. The best thing you can do is simply enjoy the other person’s company, and let them know how much you appreciate them.
Are there any other things you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
By Raven Fon
