Whether platonic or romantic, accomplishments are always worth discussing in relationships. It is a beautiful thing to be able to talk about the things you've achieved; after all, you played hard for all you have, and the best thing you can do is share the news with people you're in love with.
There is, however, a very thin line between patting yourself on the back and giving others a hard time in the name of talking about your achievements. You might be fine with this from friends because well, you hardly spend a lot of time with them. But imagine if the constant bragging comes from your boyfriend.
Bragging is not wrong in itself; it simply tends to make a deeper problem most of the time. This article highlights some of the possible reasons a person might always brag about themselves. If you're dating a braggart, you might want to keep reading this article.
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We all know how a new relationship conversation goes. When we started dating, my first boyfriend and I, there was always some form of bragging from both ends. We were, after all, trying to impress each other to the point of wanting to be in a dating situation.
Bragging at the start of your relationship is normal and should be expected. You should not be too worried if you're starting in your dating situation, as this is a necessary phase you'll both go through. It only becomes an issue when your partner isn't interested in slowing down with the boasts whenever they speak.
We often see people who take any excuse to talk about themselves as individuals who are totally in love with themselves. Studies have shown that this ideology is greatly flawed. People interested in speaking about themselves often experience very low self-image issues.
Lack of self-esteem is usually the underlying cause of bragging. People brag most of the time to get attention from anyone willing to listen. Since they're insecure in themselves, they are more likely to overcompensate by making you or any other guys around you know of the things they consider worthy of conversation.
Another underlying cause of bragging is arrogance. Another false thought many of us have is that people, whether younger or older, who brag are self-assured. We think that they are confident in themselves, which is why their greatest desire is to tell you everything about their rich collection of successes. The truth is, everything you're seeing and hearing is a result of arrogance.
The more confident you are, the more optimistic, positive and enjoyable you are to be around. You're so sure of who you are that you don't fish for approval from others. You know that no matter who you are and what you've achieved, those around you love and accept you, faults and all. Confident people are okay with themselves and, as such, aren't bothered with possessions or accomplishments.
Dating a braggart is a lot, especially if you consider them insecure. In some cases, it might not be because he's unsure about himself; it might simply be because he doesn't have that many close relationships.
You might not have realized yet, that your boyfriend doesn't have a lot of friends. He might have mentioned many names during one of his bragging sessions, which might have given you the idea that he had a lot of friends.
A couple of sessions in, you realize that these names were nothing more than partakers in his bragging speech. There was no actual relationship built between these people, mainly because of how competitive your boyfriend is and how good he is at putting the guys down.
And this might not have been his fault. It is possible your boyfriend was raised in a competitive culture, where everyone had to beat the rest and make the others know of their position for the necessary recognition. Competition during childhood most often causes kids to feel unloved by their parents.
If your boyfriend felt unloved by his parents at any point in his childhood, he might compensate for the lack of those emotions by advertising himself and his achievements. This is to prove his worth inadvertently to his parents and ultimately to himself. Your partner may be so caught up in his ways that he's completely unaware of his bragging.
In some cases, he might be bragging unintentionally, based on his childhood experience. In some other cases, your boyfriend might be bragging incessantly because he's a pathological liar, and it's something he regularly does.
Some people have told lies so much that they have begun believing these lies. Such individuals don't perceive what they say as lies, and they believe whatever comes out of their lips down to the last word. Liars tend to do this a lot when they don't have a clear picture of their identity and identity. It gets difficult to differentiate between reality and imagination.
Someone who loves you won't be playing hard to make you feel less than you are. A man who cares about your feelings won't take to constantly bragging around you or your friends, but rather will give you the space to speak about yourself and your accomplishments. If a man doesn't love you and is dating you as some favor, you will know how he talks in your presence.
For such individuals, you will need to discuss how uncomfortable his bragging makes you feel. Watch for his reaction to determine how much he loves or regards your thoughts.
This is a very common feeling among men in a relationship.is it usually happens when the woman is ahead in an aspect of her life, be it her career or education. A typical example is a woman who makes six figures, dating a guy who makes less. It might not seem like a big deal initially, and it hardly is for many.
There are some people that this fact might disturb, and they are more likely to resort to bragging to make themselves feel better or worthy of their partner's love. If your boyfriend likes to brag about things he's done before or things he's achieved in the past and makes some snide comments about something you seem to be better at., it might be because he doesn't feel he's on the same level as you.
Your boyfriend's constant self-praise? Yes, that could be a sign that he hates negativity, or he hates to admit he makes mistakes. Studies have discovered that people who find it hard to identify and list mistakes they've made are often most prone to speaking highly about themselves.
These people are often not very honest with themselves from the start. They're never comfortable with anything negative about their identity, which is not related to their gender, status, beauty, or bank account. You might wonder why someone so wonderful, beautiful or financially free will see the need to constantly remind the world of all the good things they've done. Well, this might probably be why.
Sometimes, people's actions are a subtle call for help, and this is no different. In some very rare cases, your boyfriend is always talking down on you, and others might be his call for help. He might be drowning in a sea of depression caused by many things all at once. It might be stress from work; he feels he's not reaching his goals, demands from his family, and many more.
Depression is very tough to pinpoint because, in many cases, the depressed look like every other person. They smile, they laugh, they make jokes as a means of deflecting from their feelings. They often think that by doing this, they can let go of these feelings and get better, but it never works out.
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We all have such friends around us. Those that love being the talk of the town at all times. They thrive on the attention; it's their temporary high. They love hearing about themselves because they feel they deserve endless recognition, regardless of how vain they might sound. If your boyfriend engages in constant braggart talk, it might be because he loves to hear about himself.
Some are secure in themselves, yet they love to hear about themselves. It's simply how they've been brought up. The only thing they know is to mention their accomplishments to others. They believe it will give them the respect and admiration they deserve. After all, why put in all that hard work, only for no one to recognize you?
Not at all. For your darling, he's simply having a conversation. Never mind that he spoke for forty in an hour, and the other twenty were left silent because he was sipping on juice in between talks. It is possible that your partner doesn't see his bragging sessions as bragging. He feels he's having a chat with others, and he has a lot of experience to render.
For such a guy, you can walk him gently to the side and make him realize that he's taken over the floor. Avoid putting him down or blocking him out of the conversation; it only gets him to speak louder. Try changing the convo into something you know they don't have as much knowledge in, that if calling them out doesn't work.
He might've seen his grandparents do it and learned even more from his parents, who thrive on such talk. For such individuals, you can't blame them entirely; it's an entire culture they were born into, and they've not seen anything better.
If your man is such a person, you'll be able to tell after spending some time on a date with his family. If you figure it's a family thing, now is your time to help him break the cycle. Call him to his actions, and encourage him to get better. It might be a long, tiring, and maybe frustrating process, but it will be worth it.
He might be meeting with your friends this time, and he knows none of them. He's trying to create a great first impression, and he's almost at the point of ruining it by being a braggart. This is very similar to the first days of a relationship, where we all sell ourselves in one way or the other.
If this is the case for you, be kind to your boyfriend, understand that the cause of the constant self-talk is a result of nerves and try to walk him out of it.
Now, this might sound strange, but it's true. People do pretty weird things sometimes. It is possible that your boyfriend cannot break up with you, for one reason or the other, and wants to call it quits instead. To ensure this, he might do some things meant to put you off, embarrass you or make you not want to be with him anymore. This sounds a tad bit cruel, but trust me, it happens a lot.
Anyone constantly bragging about themselves is often referred to as a braggart, bigmouth or blowhard. The very common features of such individuals include always praising themselves, their accomplishments, and their possessions. They're always quick to assert their superiority over others, regardless of their background or similarity in status.
Some people brag about themselves to help mask their low self-esteem. The process of self-promotion helps their mind mask their deep insecurity, making them feel good about themselves, even if it is at the expense of others.
To be the best at something, you need some amount of self-belief. That is a fact. When this self-belief moves into bragging, it shows a deeper issue. Constant self-praise is less a sign of self-confidence and more a sign that your self-esteem lacks.
Studies have shown that many people who brag often feel inferior. The lack of healthy self-esteem often causes people to talk in manners that uplift them to not yet attained levels. It's like a self-published amateur referring to himself as a published author at the least provocation, while several professional writers hardly identify as such.
At the base of even a little bragging insecurity. Most braggarts make mention of their accomplishments to make others around them feel guilty about what they're doing and where they are in life. It might not be seen as a big deal by them, but what they're essentially doing is projecting their insecurities on others to better examine them.
The psychology attached to bragging, braggarts and those who love to show off is a simple case of reduced or non-existent self-esteem.
Not everyone talks about themselves to the point it becomes overbearing and annoying to the ear. The one who does this is often referred to as a braggart. The braggart is a real showoff and is always ready to talk about what they're doing, how successful they are in their lives, business and relationships.
Being in a relationship with such a person can be tough and extremely annoying. If your man is a braggart, he might boast about the other girls who are in love with him, how many people he's been with since he started dating, amongst other things.
Life was never meant to be a competition, so if someone around you always makes you feel as though it is by bragging, you might have to take some measures for your mental health. The first thing you can do is change the topic when they brag in your conversation. Another thing you should do is not to brag back.
A comeback brag makes the braggart feel you're trying to compete, which sets them off on a new round of talking about themselves. Be silent, and look unconcerned, and hopefully, they stop bragging.
You can have relationships and honest conversations with people you care about without having to brag. If you feel you brag a lot, think about working on yourself and why you need to prove things to others. If not, speak to your braggart friend in a way that helps them realize their problem and guide them in finding a solution.
We hope this article was a great read, not just for you but for your friends and family as well. Please share your views and thoughts with us in the comment section, and don't forget to make others aware of the article. That's not bragging; that's simply sharing an honest viewpoint for a great discussion.
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