On occasion, I like to think about what I'm saying and how I am saying it.

The other day, I found myself using a lot of self-congratulatory phrases.

"As I said before..."

"... exactly as I predicted."

"What I thought we should have done..."

They seem benign. Simply pointing out facts. But they are not. At best, they come off as egotistical. Tooting my own horn.

They might even be combative. "Look at me, I was right! You should have listened to me."

Even worse, is they can indicate a lack of self confidence. The constant need to reaffirm my own self-worth and prove that I add value.

Like I said, the moral of the story is to think about what you're saying and how you are saying it.