The Bragging Game: How Success Can Sometimes Feel Like a Competition You Didn’t Sign Up For

 We’ve all encountered it at one point or another: someone who feels the need to constantly remind you of what they have or what they've accomplished. Maybe it's the flashy new car, a recent promotion, or their latest travel adventures. Whatever it is, it’s often shared in a way that feels less like a celebration and more like a subtle, or not-so-subtle, brag.

Let’s be clear—there's nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments. Everyone has a right to be proud of their hard work and the things they’ve earned. But it’s also undeniable that there’s a particular way some people carry their successes that can leave others feeling small or like they’re falling behind. It’s as if they’re not just sharing their good news—they're rubbing it in your face.

The problem doesn’t lie in the achievements themselves. It’s in the way they can make others feel. For those who are working tirelessly, putting in long hours, trying to climb the ladder, or simply trying to make progress, hearing about someone else’s success can be discouraging. It can feel like a reminder of how much further they still need to go, and how much harder it seems for them compared to others who seem to have it all handed to them.

And that’s the tough part. You can be doing everything right—making moves, pushing yourself, trying your hardest—and yet, when you’re surrounded by people constantly talking about how much they’ve achieved, it can start to feel like your own journey isn’t enough. That what you’re doing isn’t good enough. And suddenly, the excitement for your own progress is overshadowed by the shadow of someone else’s accomplishments.

Success is often not an overnight thing, and for many, it’s a constant grind—a slow and steady journey that requires resilience, patience, and a lot of personal growth. But when you’re constantly faced with reminders of others’ successes, it can be hard not to compare yourself. And comparison, as we all know, is a slippery slope that leads to self-doubt and frustration.

The truth is, no one else’s success should dim your light. Your journey is unique to you, and the path you're carving out is yours to define. It’s easy to get caught up in what others are doing and forget that everyone's timeline is different. Just because someone else is further along doesn’t mean you're not on your way.

At the end of the day, we all need to remind ourselves that our progress is valid. Whether it’s a small win or a big milestone, it counts. The only competition is with who we were yesterday, not with those around us.

So, the next time you find yourself feeling overshadowed by someone else's success, take a deep breath and remember: your journey is just as valuable, just as important. Keep moving forward, keep working, and don’t let anyone else’s shine dim yours.

Manipulative energy

 Manipulative energy is an energy that will try to manipulate you into doing whatever it is that they want even if you don't want to. It can cause to you be mentally and physically drained. They can tell you a story and make you feel whatever emotion they want you to feel. 

They will also use what you say and how you feel to reflect how they feel and say. It is a mind game. You tell them how you feel about something they will down play it and make it seem like you are doing it. Everything thing they do to you they will reflect it and make it seem like you done it to them so there is no reason to even bother with it cause they are out to hurt you even though they say they are not. Cautious around them and never tell them everything cause they won't tell you everything.

They can even bring up the trauma that they have supposedly been through to get you to care and show sympathy which then they know that you will care for them no matter what and make you trapped and it does not matter what they say to you even if it makes no sense they will still tell it hoping you believe every word of it. Sometimes the stories that they tell make kind of sense and then some of it makes no sense at all so you pick and choose which one to believe. 

If you don't know how to tell when they are lying, look at their body language and if you don't know how to do that; Are they looking you into your eyes telling you this or are they looking all over the place and you can tell they are lying? Is their voice clear or is it cracking while trying to tell this? Are they talking really quickly trying to get it out? Ask them questions about it. If a person is quickly to stop the conversation about it they will try not to answer all your questions or even avoid them and not bother answering them. 

They will end up trying to turn everyone they can against you anyway they can and it is just best to leave these kinds of people along. It is never going to end good and they are just going to hurt you more and more and not care.