I love flying, but I think you got it all wrong.
I'm proud, but whenever I tell anyone about it, they assume I'm all cocky about it.
Tbh though, a PPL or even a CPL is all about the money, so anyone can say they can fly a plane, and then you just never specify.
It's:
a) What do you do?
b) I'm an airline pilot.
a) Who do you work for?
b) I'm unemployed.
a) Oh.
or,
b) I work for blah blah blah.
a) That's great!
(an hour later, he/she sees the basement/parent's attic that you're living in)