I'm thinking I've been overdoing it or going overboard with the publicity surrounding my book. It's been day in, day out of announcing this about the book, or that about the book, and me, me, me, I, I, I, my book, my book, my book.
To top it off, I've entered a contest to be the new NatureMade Sam-e Complete Good Mood Blogger. To make it through this first round, I have to--it looks like now--pick up another 500+ votes just to make it to round two. It's been a lot of work to get the 200 or so votes I've already solicited and received. Message after personal message, I've been asking friends, family and colleagues to vote for me. It's been a constant stream for almost two weeks of me, me, me, more, more, more about me, me, me. Vote for me. Would you vote for me? Hey, do you think you could vote for me and RT my message on Twitter.
I finally reached my threshold of being able to talk about myself today, because I finally got, well, bored of hearing myself talk about my stuff.
I mean, I know I'm not done. The books still need to sell. The first round of the contest doesn't end till the end of October. There's still much more work to do. But, sheesh! I needed to take a break and put some emphasis on other people not myself.
If you're ever in such a bind--and anyone who isn't fearful of shameless self-promotion knows what I mean--here are a few tips for you. The next time you find yourself overindulging in talk about yourself, here's what you can do to put a halt to the self-aggrandizement:
_Just stop it. Go cold turkey and lay off the kudos. Like any addiction, it's best if you can avoid the "thing" altogether. Of course, you can't avoid yourself, but you can just stop talking about yourself and how great it is that you're doing this great thing, yada, yada, yada.
_Remember not to take yourself too seriously. Find the humor in what you've accomplished. Because, after all, you're not the first, nor will you be the last, to achieve this remarkable, or not so remarkable, success. Whatever it may be. Ultimately, it's just another notch on the belt. You'll have more to do when that's over, right?
_Immediately put your focus on someone else. If we're talking social media, start searching for other people's posts, blogs, and content and comment on it. If we're talking live interaction with others, refrain from telling your stories. Just listen to them for a change. Focus only on responding to their stories, without use of the word "I." Hey, I didn't say this was going to be easy.
_Read a book. As long as it's not your own, reading will get your mind off of you for a while. It'll transport your thought process elsewhere, and you'll forget for a bit that you're all that. In fact, if the book is a really good one, you might even start feeling a bit humbled. Go with that; it's a good thing.
_Or watch TV.
If worse comes to worse, and you still find yourself pitching your greatness...
_Avoid human contact.
Got any tips to add to this list? Write them down in the comment space below.
Monday, October 12, 2009
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17 comments:
I know what you mean...sometimes I get sick of myself, too!
How about going out for a long bike ride? This way, you're silent and your mind is (hopefully) off yourself and instead into the scenery and the pure motion of the riding. And then you can talk all about what you did, which is a bit different than talking purely about yourself...
All good advice. I get sick of me often. HA.
No tips, but that last one left me laughing!
Ok, turns out I have a tip after all: Spend time with small children. They will rarely, if ever, let if be all about you. :)
Jennifer, that's a good one! LOL
Jennifer was on my wave length, I was going to write to spend time with your dogs. When you're giving them a good back rub, or letting them take you for a drag, it's all about them! :)
Barb, so true. Ha-ha! I think it's easy to do when you live inside your head, as writers often do.
Sheryl, now, why didn't I think of that. ;-)
Good one, Kerri. Drag? Is that dog speak for "walk"? Sounds like the walks I have with my dog. The question is: who is doing the dragging. We take turns. Ha! This is turning out to be a great list. Thanks, everyone!
Jackie,
you know I'm going to say music.
having just been through a contest where I had to ask for votes myself, I hear you about that.
I often have the opposite problem, as in saying oh don't bother about me. a friend [who does that a lot too] had an epiphany a while back that that can be the same sort of thing, really, part of taking yourself too seriously. she's right, I think, and your points apply there too.
Yes, drag is dog speak for walk. My dogs take me on drags all of the time. They see a squirrel, a bird, a rabbit...you name it.
Once, when we lived in the city, I actually fell and really twisted my ankle bad, but that didn't hurt as much as the dogs still trying to drag me while I was down!
When I need a break from being "out there" too much, there's nothing so humbling as simple domesticity to make me remember who I am (or am not). I mean down and dirty stuff like scrubbing shower gunk, mopping floors on hands and knees, sweeping the carport, even painting the dining room.
I like Jennifer's idea too: spending time with kids. More of that humbling effect. Also, always good for a laugh or a smile at the very least.
I immediately thought of Billy Joel explaining why he'd never sing "Just The Way You Are" anymore. In an interview (I can't remember where - 20/20? Dateline? Howard Stern?) how he said (I'm paraphrasing) that he was so tired/bored of that song that whenever he'd sing it he found himself thinking about what he was going to have for lunch at the deli - corned beef or pastrami. Ha! When I read that you had reached the saturation point I realized that singing the same song - that you created (no matter how classic) is kind of exactly the same thing! It's an extension of you, just in a different form.
Jackie, you have my Monday vote!
Sending you good energy that you'll be the winner!
Interesting comments. Good dialogue. Sorry for being away for a bit. And I did take a break.
Debra, I started cleaning out my office. Talk about getting down and dirty!
Meredith, that's interesting what you said about Billie Joel. I love his music, and I love that song. How sad that he'd get bored with it.
Thanks for coming back time and time again. I love your company.
adding another comment on the Billy Joel/song idea: Kathy Mattea had a major hit with a song called 18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses. She says while she could get tired of it and space out while singing it, when she found herself doing that she decided to be fully present each time she sings it and see what gifts that offers, and she's learned a lot from this. so there are other choices.
This is interesting for me to read b/c I'm such an introvert that I never promote myself. So, I guess I'm never bored with myself--I have the opposite problem of just kinda ignoring the potentially high-profile stuff I do.
Kerry, I love the song you've mentioned. I haven't thought of it in years! I like the idea of being present. But it's good to take a break from the familiar. It seems that's how Kathy Mattea arrived at her new way of thinking.
Jen, I hope the post helps.
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