A story popped into my newsfeed today, and while I recognized it as an advertisement, the message resonated with me. In this Story/Ad, the message was about sharing with others our adventures so that they might be inspired by our journey. A simple message was conveyed.
“It is not bragging if they ask.”
Self-reflection and Moving Past the Doubt
Grand adventures are not all experienced in foreign lands or on high peaks. Grand adventures are made by perspectives and story telling – if those pieces are vibrant, then even a trip to the grocery will be grand. Learning when and how to share those adventures can be a grand adventure in itself; because, it requires us to sort between its challenges and its rewards, and then decide its value.
I started thinking about my own adventures and my own experiences sharing.
First came the self-criticism that often comes from self-awareness. Knowing that often, I will share to fit in rather than waiting to be asked. Doubt and past-feelings of rejection, can interfere with our ability to see clearly.
However, once I moved beyond my initial self-doubt, I began to see a different pattern.
Easier When Strangers Ask.
People with the adventurer’s perspective are often a novelty, an inspiration you might say, that alleviate the monotony of the typical. When encountered by a stranger, their novelty never wears off, however, when encountered by a colleague, friend, or relative, comparison and resentment can replace the novelty. The inspirational story, even when it is pried out of the adventurer, is deemed to bragging or showing off. Resentment then builds in the listener, this resentment gets foisted upon the story-teller. What had begun as a shared moment of connectivity and inspiration, quickly feels weighted down with a wet blanket of rejection, and even self-doubt.
Making a Choice
While we can’t always prevent or circumvent the wet blanket of comparison and resentment, we can choose to share our journey when asked, despite our doubt and worry.
We can share, and then let the responsibility of feeling inspired rest on the listener’s shoulders, where it belongs.
