touting your own 'virtues' is seen as egotism.

It's a fine line - appreciating yourself, when you're struggling with a sense of self that may have been beaten down by others in your youth. Finding that balance point where you can enjoy who you are, openly and freely, and yet not come across as condescending, cocky or egotistical. Sometimes I think the pendulum simply *has* to swing way past 'center' for a while to compensate for all the years of having your head (translate: ego) trodden into the mud.

And then, over time, as you learn to hold your head up, you gradually find the balance point that 'works' for you in your given life situation, among the people with whom you find yourself interacting.

That's the thing - the balance point is not static. It's always shifting and changing depending on the social circumstances.

(I re-read the previous post and *almost* edited out the part about 'infectious enthusiasm'. But then I thought, "Fuck it - it's *true*. People actually *have* said such things, and it makes me *feel* good, and why the hell should I have to hide it?)