just you wait.... or that aint nothin!!

People come across it every day.. one upping statements. For all of you who have heard the statements, or sadly have been the one saying such a statement, you know how it goes...

example number one...

friend #1- I am so tired.

friend #2- You think your tired, I was up all night because... (whatever it is... you are the one upper in this situation.. and you could go on and on about how you didnt get A WINK of sleep because of this or that, but either way, your friend is left in the dust by your one upping statement)

example number two...

friend #1- I am so excited about getting married next week!

friend #2- Just you wait till you're married... your husband will annoy you by doing this and that, and your first year of marriage will be the worst.. youll fight all the time... blah blah blah (once again, you horrible one upper, you took the statement of your friend and turned it into an ALL ABOUT ME experience.. and because of it, your friend feels like you just swooped in on their happy moment and turned it into something negative.. and about you, that's what Brian Regan calls a ME MONSTER)

I know that sometimes one upping is a hard habit to break- but believe me, no one loves you for being a one upper. Your friend/coworker or whatever could be cringing every time you do it, and because of that, might not want to tell you things of a particular subject because they know where that will be headed... back to you. What is even worse, is when the me monster really wants the negative attention... thats what i call being a sympathy seeker. However for those of us that are unaware that we are/could be one uppers you should ask yourself this... am i being a good listener? is this story im telling going to help/uplift/spread positivity? does my friend even want my advice, or are they just venting? did i interrupt my friend with my ME story just now?

I know that i can sometimes be a one upper- everyone can. I just think we all should try our hardest not to be. There are different ways to still get your point across, but in a better way.

Example #1 (re-do)

friend #1- I am so tired.

friend #2- Why were you up so late? Fun night, or could you just not sleep?

friend #1- I swear my neighbors must be river dancers.. they were making so much noise, i couldn't sleep well at all!

friend #2- I know how you feel... last night I kept on waking up to my downstairs neighbors mariachi music!

(conversation goes on, both people were able to tell their stories, they just had to put their "listening ears on"... but in reality, their caring concern ears on... thats called a conversation, not a one upping situation)

Lets all try to be better listeners, and in the long run, better people... the end.

this is what a me monster looks like.. just kidding!