While getting my hair cut yesterday, I said something about my bangs, and how everyone would think I was trying to change the shape of my face. And I realized: Likely, no one gave a shit about the shape of my face or about my hair, except when I let it get long and scruffy looking. I said something to that effect to the stylist, and she laughed her head off. Apparently, this is a lesson a lot of people learn early in their lives, that I am still getting used to. Namely:
The universe does not revolve around me.
Does that seem hard to anyone else.? I would guess that people with intact self-esteem haven’t worried about this at all. Unfortunately, I have been.
In one instance, my sadness over the decline in the number of hits to my blog. What the hell am I thinking? With millions of blogs online, why should I worry that fewer people are looking at mine? I should be, and I’m doing my best to be, grateful that anyone wants to read what I say.
That is not poor me, either. The lift I get from my readers is valuable — no doubt about that — but from others? Why would I think that my blog out of all those blogs, should be attracting more people? I like what it is doing in my life, and I hope you all enjoy it, get something out of it. But who died and made me queen of everything?
From The Four Agreements Cards, by Don Miguel Ruiz, I drew:
Relinquish Self-Importance
Relinquish Self-Importance
Personal importance, or taking things personally, is the maximum expression of selfishness, because we make the assumption that everything is about “ME.”
This card could have been written just for me.
Oops — I’m doing it again!
Diabetic Redemption 
Judith, you will be thrilled when you reach a point where you don’t care what anyone else thinks. It is so freeing, you will frolic with happiness.
Me, frolicking? That should be something to see. I think I’ll have to record that! Thanks for all your kind words.
“I like what it is doing in my life, and I hope you all enjoy it, get something out of it.” Yes, yes, and yes! Smile and don’t sweat what you have no control over! Readership goes up, and it goes down. You’ve said before that if you post about crap like, “Snooki,” you’d get more hits, but do you want to live and write like that? Hell no! Keep doing your thing, lay down content, and life will take care of itself.
Now, if all that doesn’t work, ask yourself what would you do if you suddenly had 500 subscribers and they all decided they would comment on every post?
SMILE!
After spending a solid five hours answering comments, reading other posts, and commenting on them, I think I would slit my own throat if I had to face 500 comments a day! Thanks so much, George — you always say the right thing!
oh yeah…ho made you queen??? Love it, all true, and I agree with the barefoot baroness too.. 🙂
Thanks — I have to keep reminding myself, day in and day out. But that’s okay, I think; just one more thing to know about myself.
It is not like you do not have company with that point of view — either one.
I can’t believe the response that one post has gotten — I am certainly not the only one!
You’re funny. I get this. I’d love to now worry about what others think so much I consciously practice not caring. Honestly its not as hard as it seems. Even when I’m letting something someone may say, or I think they may be saying have an affect on me I practice being mindful that they don’t matter. It’s a habit we have to not use the self -esteem we work so hard to acquire. So why not create a new habit. It’s actually easier to learn a positive habit too.
That is a good way to look at it! Thanks!