Why Can't We Just Accept Our Awesomeness?

Random Complimenter: “Those jeans look great on you!”
Me: “What? No, they’re waaaaay too tight. Gawd. Just look at my butt!”

Random Complimenter: “I enjoyed that story you wrote.”
Me: “Thanks, but it's way too long and rambly. It sounded better in my head.”

Random Complimenter: “This is delicious. You’ll have to give me the recipe.”
Me: “Oh barf. It's too salty and totally overdone. You don’t have to finish it... ”

You get the idea. I can’t take a compliment to save my life and people find it annoying. I know this because they’ve said, “Quit that. It’s annoying.” I’ve tried just saying “thank you” with a smile. Really, I’ve been making an effort but frankly I find accepting a compliment painful. I start to squirm a little even.

Recently I had to submit a short bio to accompany an article I wrote. Writing a bio is difficult....every. single. time. Will it ever get easier? I find 'talking myself up' to be excrutiating. In fact, in most of my early bio attempts I barely mention myself at all. Apparently in a bio, you should really say something about yourself...

Not to mention that writing in the third person is just weird. "Lisa is this. Lisa likes that. Lisa thinks bragging about herself is nauseating." My husband and I have been talking in the third person all week as a result and find it highly entertaining.

Me: “Lisa is getting frustrated writing this stupid friggin' bio. Lisa is going to snap!”

Hubby: “Adrian is getting hungry. Adrian is thinking about making a sandwich.“

Me: “Lisa thinks that’s a good idea. Adrian should also make Lisa a sandwich!”

(Lisa AND Adrian are complete dorks by the way).

So I’ve been thinking about this particular character flaw. Why can’t I just be proud of who I am and take a compliment when it comes my way?

I don’t believe I’m lacking in self-confidence.

My parents always lavished praise upon me and told me often how proud they were of me (They still do. Awww. I love my mummy and daddy).

I’m a risk taker most of the time.
I’m a happy-go-lucky sorta gal.
I’m not afraid to put myself out there.
When I talk to myself (and I do, frequently) I dole out the compliments and I accept them rather graciously.

So what gives?

There’s being modest and then there’s being self-deprecating to a fault.

Is accepting a compliment difficult for you too?