“It’s Not About Me”

Hidden Hills

February 12, 2023

I appreciate the irony of entitling this post "It's Not About Me" while the post is about me.

I also appreciate the incorrect spelling of "it's" on the photo above.

"It's not about me" is a thought that popped into my head a few years ago. I was wrestling with being alone and realized that all of that wrestling so inwardly focused. I also came to appreciate that when you live alone, habit and behaviors can sneak into your life that reflect being alone. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but I recognized it had happened to me. From maybe slacking off on exercise and diet to watching too much TV to leaving the seat up, over ten years I developed some habits that became so ingrained that I did not recognized I did them.

But perhaps most importantly, I realized that I spent too much time thinking about me. Or as W observed, too much time in my own head.

"It's not about me" has helped me to think about others more often than I think about me. It has helped me to be more curious and kind. To flip conversations so the other person tells me more about themselves. To be more courteous and giving of my time and resources.

I'm a happier and more joyful person for the paradigm shift.