I’m not sure if this post will make any sense; it’s one that I came up with when I was running, mostly to distract myself from realizing I was running. (Yeah, I can’t think about running while I’m running or else I instantly feel like I’m going to pass out and stop.)
Well, that being said, I don’t tell people I’m a runner. I tell them that I run. Putting the “er” on the end of it and using it to describe myself feels too serious. When I think of a “runner” I think of someone who can run miles and miles at a time and think marathons are easy—although I know that marathons are grueling. When I think of a “runner” I don’t think of someone with exercise-induced asthma trying her best to make it another lap around the track to finish a mile.
The same goes for describing myself as a writer. I say that I write. When I think of a “writer” I think of Stephen King or JK Rowling. I think of someone whose entire career is writing. Or even journalists because they write, too. But I don’t think of someone who works on fiction stories here and there in Google Docs at night when she’s laying in bed on her phone.
Maybe I’m selling myself short.
The same could be said of an artist, singer, designer, actor, dancer, and the list goes on. I did gymnastics for six years, and I would never consider myself a gymnast. I was just a girl who did gymnastics.
But in a weird way, maybe I am all of those things. I am a runner, because what do you call someone who runs? I am a writer, because what do you call someone who writes? (The same thing can be said of being a blogger, because I have a blog and write posts.)
I feel like if we describe ourselves as something, we either have to be really good at it or prove ourselves to others. If I say I’m a runner, I feel like I can’t tell people I only run a mile. I’d rather tell people I’m a jogger, but in that case, I start picturing the moms from the 1980s who powerwalked with leg warmers and big hair.
To ask the title of this blog again, when do you become something? Is it something you just embrace over time? I doubt anyone is going to come crown me a runner or a writer. Or a former gymnast. I need to have confidence in my abilities and tell people I’m a runner—not just someone who runs—and tell them I’m a writer—not just someone who writes.
Strikeouts + Sprinkles 
I’ve always been hesitant in calling myself a writer or a blogger. I just say I write, or I have a blog. I guess calling myself a writer/blogger just sounds too official, but like you, maybe I’m selling myself short? So I completely get where you’re coming from. Thanks for the image of power walkers with leg warms, I chuckled.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad I’m not the only one. I don’t tell anyone in real life about my blog just because I like keeping it to myself and all of you internet people I’ve met, but a few of my friends know I write stories. And you’re welcome for the image haha. I felt like it’s cliche but applicable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting question.
I consider myself a designer because of my degree and it’s what I do professionally. I consider myself a writer because I’ve been writing my entire life and I wrote and published a novel.
I think it’s ultimately a personal preference. For me, it has to do with what I do professionally and duration of time I’ve been doing it, I suppose. I guess if I take it seriously, then I add the “er” to the end. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That totally makes sense. I think work titles are fine, like you consider yourself whatever your title is (mine is “account manager” and is a little vague haha) but I think my issue with adding an “er” relates more to my hobbies because they’re just hobbies and not something I’m doing professionally. But in the end, I guess, you can just say screw it and call yourself whatever you want.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a good question! I used to refer to myself as a writer before I started blogging, now I consider myself a blogger but I don’t feel like I’d ever actually call myself that haha I think I don’t add the er because I’m too hard on myself
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know why the “er” makes everything so serious. I consider all of us on here bloggers, but I’d never tell someone I’m a blogger. It’s weird. We should just be able to call ourselves whatever we want, even if it’s something we do every once in a while, because it’s part of who we are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting post! To be honest, I even have trouble saying that I blog. I just say that “I have a place where I write stuff”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] For some reason, my mind is wired to think that in order to call myself something—in this case, a runner—everything I do relating to it has to be […]
LikeLike