I have always struggled with self-esteem, especially when it comes to RSD. To cope, I’ve found that repeating certain positive affirmations like “I can do anything,” “I’m awesome,” etc. helps me feel more confident in myself. It’s not about being arrogant, but more like a mental trick to push through my insecurities and feel better in the moment.
The thing is, some people around me are starting to accuse me of being a narcissist because of it. I’ll admit, part of me does enjoy the attention that comes with these affirmations, and for a while, I just leaned into it. But now it feels like it’s spiraling a bit out of control. I’m wondering if I’ve crossed some line between self-empowerment and self-centeredness.
I don’t want to seem arrogant or like I’m trying to manipulate anyone, but I really don’t know how else to keep my confidence up. Has anyone else experienced this? How do you manage the fine line between boosting your self-esteem and coming off as narcissistic, especially when dealing with ADHD or autism?
No narcissist has ever asked themselves if they are being narcissistic.
If you didn’t twist the narcissistic accusations back onto the accuser you aren’t a narcissist. They are just overfitting the term.
It sounds like what you’re ultimately doing is a form of faking it until you make it. There is nothing wrong with that.
If people think you’re arrogant or a narcissist for repeating affirmations, that’s about them. It could be jealousy steaming from them not being brave enough to follow your lead.