The following is written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
I read an article that discussed how women often sell their accomplishments short by stating, “so, I did this little thing” before sheepishly going on to list how they got their PhD in astrophysics while working full-time or how they completed a full IronMan or how they raised a gaggle of kind, loving, successful children.
Women are often so worried about sounding cocky, or God-forbid bitchy, that they try to soften the blow of their successes by underplaying the hard work and determination such achievements have taken. I saw this on display when I sent one of my best friends a quick text the other day about how proud she performed in competition at our gym. Her reply was, “I hope that this doesn’t sound conceited, but I felt amazing doing it.”
This is a woman whom I love. I am also super proud of the physical and emotional work that she has been doing lately. And, yet she still felt the need to qualify her reply just because she too felt proud of her accomplishments.
And, I get it, there is something to be said for humility and humbleness. No one wants to listen to someone rattle on and on about how fabulous they think they are. But, there should be a happy medium. Not wanting to sound like a vain braggart doesn’t have to come at the price of selling major accomplishments short. Women should be allowed to be proud of the big and little things and women should be allowed to love themselves without the fear of judgement.
So, just so you know: I see you doing your things and I’m proud of you.
I’m also proud of me. I’m proud to write for Bob & Sheri’s audience every week and I am also proud that a year ago I had a piece featured in the Washington Post.
Writing comes with a lot of rejection – A LOT. It’s easy to become discouraged. However, when the badass Sheri Lynch believes in you and one of the leading newspapers in America says, yes, please share your story with us, you’re allowed to be proud.
So, I am. No qualifiers. Just proud.
Check out my Washington Post piece here.
Soshally Awkward
Sosha Lewis is a writer whose work has been featured in The Washington Post, Huffington Post, MUTHA Magazine and The Charlotte Observer. She writes about her sometimes wild, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking past filled with free-lunches, a grimy sports bar, a six foot tall Albino woman who tried to save her teenage soul, felonious, drug addicted parents, an imaginary friend named Blueberry and growing up nestled in the coal-dusted mountains of West Virginia.
