"I Knew That Already” 🫠
Mar 16, 2026
I totally understand why people are anti WhatsApp chats. They literally bring out the dysfunctional parts in us. Like the one who must post every person who passes away. And the Silver Lining person who consistently responds positively to any post no matter what it is. Like “BHH she died! She’s in a better place!”
Then there’s that moment when someone shares exciting news and then there’s That One Who automatically says:
“Oh yeah, I knew that already.”
“I heard last week it was happening.”
Like why?
I was really wondering about that process and what it is within us that feels the need to tell the other person that they already knew the news.
Let’s unpack this. Because we all know this type of person who needed to know everything first, and very often it’s even us … 
It may look like confidence.
But… It usually isn’t.
What’s actually happening is pretty fascinating — and very human.
For a lot of people, sounding like you already knew isn’t about showing off.
It’s about protecting who you are. Protecting your identity.
If being “aware,” “smart,” or “on top of things” feels like part of your identity, then not knowing can feel uncomfortable — even threatening.
Not because the information matters so much,
but because our brain quietly asks:
“If I didn’t know… what does that say about me?” Or “Are we really friends if I didn’t know this piece of info?”
So our nervous system jumps in and says:
Don’t worry. Ofc you knew! You’re still you.
It’s our brain trying to keep us happy.
For some people, surprises feel unsettling. Knowing things early (or sounding like you did) helps us feel grounded.
Nobody likes feeling behind.
Knowledge can feel like proof that we belong.
What’s the takeaway of this shpiel?
Confidence isn’t being the first to know.
Confidence is knowing that:
I’m still solid, I’m still cool, we’re still close…
even when we didn’t have the most updated information.
Think about the confident people in your life. They’re usually the ones who can say “Wow, that’s amazing! I didn’t know…”
The older I get, the more people I meet, and the more stories I hear, and the more I learn about the complexities of life, and the more social media is influencing our daily decisions and our relationships in general, the more I appreciate that there are some things that are OK - and perhaps even better - to keep more private-ish… and that doesn’t necessarily make you a weirdo. 
Cheers to Private-ish!
,
Shifi
