Try an experiment. Buy yourself a hand puppet. The puppet says the first thing, no filter, that jumps into your mind. Practice having the puppet introduce you. It will say some wonderful things and some awful things. Do it in private at first. If you get confident you may allow your unfiltered inner child loose more often.
I completely get the tendency to self-deprecate; I'm guilty of it all the time myself. Fortunately for you, Ilana, so many of us recognize your talents and the beautiful stories you craft.
Apr 18, 2023·edited Apr 18, 2023Liked by Ilana C. Myer
The original versions of Cinderella, the prince only notices her when she's decked out in Fairy Godmother's finest creations. It implies men -- and most women -- see first, reason later.
When even her step sisters don't recognize her, it reinforces the value of surface glitter.
The many 20th and 21st century versions, the prince first meets her in rags, and notices something is special about her, but doesn't act on it until the ball, or acts only timidly, trying to figure out why this common peasant seems so refined. Most modern versions, the stepsisters either recognize her at the ball, or sense there is something familiar about her.
It's the modern corruption that has misled so many many of us.
The Bible advises brag not about yourself, LET ANOTHER SPEAK about how wonderful you are. If later, you publicly fall, you will look worse if you personally bragged, but if another spoke good about you, you are more apt to be given the benefit of the doubt.
So you need to find clever ways to get others to speak for you, and to acknowledge their compliments without denigrating yourself. "I worked hard for that honor, and with their encouragement and the opportunity to learn from you, hope to achieve more." Reworded for time & place usually works.
Makes you active in your own story without unrealistic expectations -- and alert to the unexpected "fairy godmothers" that enter our lives.
I feel much the same way...I am not at all wired for self-promotion, and I'd much rather people notice my absence than point out my presence, if that makes sense.
Try an experiment. Buy yourself a hand puppet. The puppet says the first thing, no filter, that jumps into your mind. Practice having the puppet introduce you. It will say some wonderful things and some awful things. Do it in private at first. If you get confident you may allow your unfiltered inner child loose more often.
I completely get the tendency to self-deprecate; I'm guilty of it all the time myself. Fortunately for you, Ilana, so many of us recognize your talents and the beautiful stories you craft.
Aw, thank you, Jeremy!
The original versions of Cinderella, the prince only notices her when she's decked out in Fairy Godmother's finest creations. It implies men -- and most women -- see first, reason later.
When even her step sisters don't recognize her, it reinforces the value of surface glitter.
The many 20th and 21st century versions, the prince first meets her in rags, and notices something is special about her, but doesn't act on it until the ball, or acts only timidly, trying to figure out why this common peasant seems so refined. Most modern versions, the stepsisters either recognize her at the ball, or sense there is something familiar about her.
It's the modern corruption that has misled so many many of us.
An interesting point! So it’s the modern versions that reinforce the fantasy.
The Bible advises brag not about yourself, LET ANOTHER SPEAK about how wonderful you are. If later, you publicly fall, you will look worse if you personally bragged, but if another spoke good about you, you are more apt to be given the benefit of the doubt.
So you need to find clever ways to get others to speak for you, and to acknowledge their compliments without denigrating yourself. "I worked hard for that honor, and with their encouragement and the opportunity to learn from you, hope to achieve more." Reworded for time & place usually works.
Makes you active in your own story without unrealistic expectations -- and alert to the unexpected "fairy godmothers" that enter our lives.
I feel much the same way...I am not at all wired for self-promotion, and I'd much rather people notice my absence than point out my presence, if that makes sense.