A bragger is just a person unhappy with one or many aspects of their life,
period. They can and will use any situation to exaggerate or make up their own
life’s circumstances in a way to feel worth. While this may be considered a sad
way to live, they are so wrapped up in doing it that they don’t realize what it
sounds like. Here are a few ways to deal with them:
Take the floor – after they
are done bragging, insert one positive thing that happened to you
recently; then discuss your weaknesses and how you plan to overcome them.
Braggers can’t stand for someone else to be the center of attention, so
more than likely, they will discuss their weaknesses too (one upping you,
of course). This helps you in two ways – talking about your life’s
challenges helps you become more determined to overcome them, and you
finally get to see that their life isn’t just all roses – they have
weaknesses too.
Don’t wait for them to call
you, dial their number and have a chat. This will catch the bragger off
guard (they are usually the ones to make the first move), and show you
that if they aren’t the ones in control, then they have little to say.
Probe them for their real
life. When talking to them, ask them about the new car or the house and
see if there is anything else behind the brag. Maybe it isn’t the one they
wanted or there are problems behind the rose colored glasses – and help
them through it. Sometimes, they may only be bragging because no one ever
took the time to listen to their problems.
If you can’t get them beyond
the bragging, then corner them. Tell them how it makes you feel and how
you envision your relationship. They will either fess up and become a real
friend, or write you off. Either way, you win.