Isn’t It All About Me?

Welcome to Connections2Excellence where we connect life to a pursuit of excellence. Thank you for joining today!

It’s so easy to think of ourselves. I like to be bundled up, he likes the fan. I like warm, he likes cold. I like quiet, he likes noise. Isn’t his life supposed to center on me? Yeah, I’m guilty. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our own wants and desires. We think about how we can receive the benefit regardless of the effects on others. And, yes, we probably think of ourselves way more than we want to admit.

When I prepare to write, sometimes the funniest things pop in my little mind. As I thought about the content for this week, Toby Keith’s song, “I Wanna Talk About Me,” came to mind. His sweetie talks about herself, and he just wants to get in a word about his life. We joke and have fun, yet the part of the song that caught my attention was his attentiveness to her. He listened to her. His focus was on her. In a way, listening to her was his focus. And it brought him joy—well, most of the time.

I wonder—what would happen if our focus was more on others? If we took time to listen to them about their day, their joys, their hurts, their struggles, we may be surprised. Focusing on others is unnatural for us, I know. It’s a focused practice. It takes effort. As a result, we receive joy because our focus is on others instead of self. We may never know the impact we have when we give a simple smile, a “Thank you,” or a “Have a good afternoon.” It’s acknowledging someone else–they are seen and not overlooked. So, it really isn’t about me; it’s focusing on others.

Our Connections Challenge: When you are faced with a choice of your way or someone else’s way, think about them. Listen. Smile or pleasantly greet someone you may not know. Basically, put someone else before yourself; and watch what happens.