The B Team Standard
Caregiving Idea #11: Brag on their Behalf
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Bragging about yourself (or your kids) is hard for many people. This may surprise you since I do it so often, but I actually HATE tooting my own horn. It is uncomfortable — it feels wrong. But at the same time, we like a bit of recognition. A nice pat on the back. So, one way to care for others is to do a bit of intentional bragging on their behalf.
This has happened to me a handful of times, and it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Here’s an example…
A couple months ago a journalist interviewed me for an article, and I had been posting so much stuff about my own writing that I just couldn’t stomach doing it again. Which was a bummer, because I really liked that article.
But to my surprise, my friend Emily randomly found the article and posted the link on my FB page along with a sweet message. I could tell she was genuinely happy for me, and it made me feel so good that she cared enough to take the time and boast about me. Even better, now the word was out — but I didn’t actually have to do it myself. I was grateful that Emily had started the conversation for me.
So if you have a friend who is a recent graduate, got a new job, got a promotion, received an award or grant, got straight A’s on a report card, had a piece of art in a show, published a short story in a magazine, made the varsity team, had a really great game, finished their first marathon, passed a language test, knit their first sweater… or had any other sort of personal accomplishment — brag on their behalf. Tell your mutual friends. Post on social media. Show the world how remarkable they are.
I think this is especially important for kids — kids need to learn that it is just as important to celebrate other people’s success as it is to celebrate their own. Not everything is a competition.
**Covid has descended upon our family. We have decided to back out of all non-essential activities to care for ourselves and each other this week. I’ll continue with this thread when everyone is better!**
