It seems that a certain amount of self-promotion in our jobs or creative endeavors is healthy. We need to share our honest confidence in ourselves as employees or as entrepreneurs with our bosses or the public we want to reach. We work hard, we have talents and we have livings to make.
But I've run into other kinds of self-promotion that, well, don't seem so healthy. I'm talking about using one's private sorrow as a stepping-stone to saturation fame. The creation of a persona: "I am young and adorable. I thought I had the world on a string. Then a catastrophe befell me [a disease or problem or affliction] that knocked me off my feet. Tested my presumptions. But with the help of God, and friends, and all of you strangers, I am coping."
So, "contact me, be my Friend, buy my books, enter my drawing for one of my free books, write-in for my Advice on your Life Quandaries, join my Team, listen to my podcast, listen to me on someone else's podcast, click on my discussion guide, follow me, come to my events . . . . "
A kind of layered hubris. I thought my life was the best. Then I found out it wasn't. But I am so handling it. You can too. I can show you how to be me. Or how to be a friend to people like me. Or what I want. Or what people like me want. You'll love my story.
Seeing this is perplexing. No one wants something bad for another, whether that person is young and adorable or old and heavy-laden. We want the best for each other, friends or strangers. We're made to be compassionate. We especially have empathy for someone young facing problems meant to be confronted after a life-time.
We don't expect wisdom from the young, but humility is a virtue available at any age. For those who are self-centered, on the other hand, perhaps we can help them see that every moment counts. If you have a child, don't travel to promote an endeavor. Spend that time with the child. Don't email, tweet or blog all morning. Keep your toddler home and be mom or dad. If you are a child of God read the Psalms, not audience stats.
This is asking a lot. It is asking maturity from the young. But if we are not young, we owe it to share what we've learned. We're not promoting anything, least of all ourselves. Here it is: Time always runs out and no one ever says, "I spent too much time with my family. I should have spent more time traveling for work, promoting myself, getting my due, being admired, gathering more Likes, selling more books." No one.
Maybe all that goes on in the world today affects the way we see things. It does for me, I know. Clearly fame, fortune and best sellers are transient. Someone whose life is short has less time for mistakes. That could mean any of us, myself included. Let not conceit be one of those mistakes. Love, Nina Naomi
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