Turn Your Swag On

There's absolutely nothing wrong with believing in yourself. It's perfectly fine to say something positive about yourself, your ability, your skills, etc... I feel like I have to remind you of that, because one of the weirder phenomenons/aspects of our society is the need to "humble" other people, and the semi-requirement that people humble themselves or face critique.

Why? Well for one, the powers that be want to keep the masses where they are so they can remain rich and powerful - but I'll save the conspiracy therorizing for someone else. There is a lot of slavery baggage in the Black community and for other races/nationalities/religious groups - at some point there was oppression and prejudice pushed upon them. Some of the nastier, more self-defeatous resulting behaviors include the need to keep our heads down and avoid gaining attention of authority figures. That leads into a distaste for people who do not follow that rule.

I suppose at some point, wanting someone to shut up so nobody gets whipped/shot/executed/stoned makes a LOT of sense, but its not always like that anymore. Quite the contrary, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Most of the uber-successful people in this world had to draw some attention to themselves to do it. In fact, in our ridiculous increasingly celebrity-centered culture here in America - forget to market yourself at your own peril.

But we're not talking about Kanye and Lady Gaga - though I will use them to illustrate a big issue in confidence talk.

Kanye West is a self-centered genius who needs attention to feel validated.
Lady Gaga does and wears outlandish attention getting things to get you talking about her.

Those are totally different.
Just like confidence and arrogance are totally different.

It's ok to say good things about yourself, so long as you don't put others down at the same time, or make some kind of grandstand just to look good (at the expense of others).

A good friend of mine, who's on his shit, once changed his Myspace name to include "The Great" after his name. He got hate mail from random ninjas talking about "what makes you so great?" Who does that?

If you are feeling like you need to tear down other people who know their strengths, you need to kill yourself. Let's say I were to tell you right here, right now, that Dr Hak is the shit, has always been the shit and always will be.. the shit. Does that make you feel some kind of way about me? It shouldn't. And it won't unless you have issues with yourself.

Perhaps your inclination is to say "chump you ain't Perfect". Again... I didn't say that. Me saying I'm the shit is not the same as "Dr Hak is the Shit and I am better than all of you". I also didn't say "Dr Hak is the shit, no one has ever helped me get this point in my life, its all been me me me me me and I dont and never will need help at anything at all, unlike you losers".

If you learn how to turn off your inner hater, you won't even have that itch to respond. That itch is a bad thing, and more importantly than your reaction to me, The Great, or anyone else who happens to be willing to say positive things about themselves outloud - is the effect it has on you. By spending energy - ANY energy at all - on what other people say and think about themselves, you simultaneously hold yourself back.

Friends. Often the worst offenders are your friends and family.

And he said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

I wonder how many times the man who said that quote was told he was "arrogant" for claiming to be the Son of God. Your friends should not be crabs in a barrel. You odn't need friends to "check" you for feeling good about yourself. Check you for WILDING, or making dumb decisions, yes. But for feeling on top of the world - no. That's not even a friendship. Joke battles are different. Anything goes (save personal attacks and intentionally bringing up sore subjects) in a good joke battle.

So What's My Point?

It's time for you to start believing in yourself. Don't worry about those who say or whom you would expect to say "she ain't all that" or "that dude is whack. I remember him from high school." They will always be there, right in the same place you left them. Just make sure you aren't one of them.

If you don't feel comfortable talking about yourself, that's fine. Just don't talk NEGATIVELY about yourself all the time. Don't focus on your faults and flaws and the things you wished were different. Allow yourself to be who you are, and be good at what you are good at. You have a lot to offer to the world and it'd be easier if you weren't caught up on your negatives. If you have the ability to change some of the things, get on your horse and ride out. Make it happen. What are you waiting for?

Stop hating and get money.