This is so good. Funny, smart, and painfully accurate. “More rescue dogs than golden doodles” absolutely sent me. The 90s really were an odd little parenting bridge generation - equal parts “you’ll live” and “you are special,” which is probably why so many of us are both resilient and weirdly over-prepared for emotional collapse.
My grandma always told my mom that "no one was looking at (her)." I have tried so hard to pass that on to my kids... with humor whenever possible! To say that everyone is worried about the zit on their own nose. Lately I've been saying, when you're feeling the most self conscious, compliment the heck out of everyone around you. They'll never remember what you are or are not wearing!
THIS IS SO GOOD. ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 This just hit: "When you’re not fixated on how you appear to others, you get to be more of yourself. Accepting that not everyone is thinking about you, nor clocking your every pigeon-toed movement, is liberating." 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
So done caring what others think. I write what makes me happy (humour), don’t colour my hair and tell anyone who has a problem nothing - because I don’t care what they think. I am a good person, a loving friend and I like making people laugh. But I’m dancing for myself (with all due respect to Billy Idol 😉)
Yesss, thank you for sharing! It is truly freeing to think that no one cares what we’re doing (except those that actually matter). I had a friend once share how she thinks about how no one will remember us after we’re gone, and I always go back to that.
Yes yes and yes. How many times have my partner and I said this to our friends. You’re not that important and what you did or didn’t do or say (within reason of course) didn’t ruin someone else’s life.
I skipped my dad’s ritual of using a baseboard on our backsides for unfavorable behavior.
But not everyone has to like us, engage with us, or even think we’re worth their time. And that is a funny lesson to teach our kiddos in today’s world. Just because I think my son is the bee’s knees doesn’t mean everyone else will.
Also a product of the 1990s and I could relate to so much of this! When I first read "you're not that important," there was definitely a part of me that didn't want or like to hear that. But then, yes, I also felt so free! Free to explore, try things, be curious… and not need to hold myself back from the things I'm pulled to do because I'm concerned about what others will think.
This really stayed with me. There’s something so freeing in letting go of how much we think we’re being seen. It makes it easier to just be, without overthinking every little thing. That idea of unimportance as freedom really resonates.
You got me at “let it marinate In a ziplock bag with Kraft dressing”
Haha, thank you—so glad you grew up during peak gastronomy as well
As I like to say: By the time your embarrassment reaches a large enough audience that it morphs into humiliation, that's a good problem to have...
In the words of Superorganism:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJQYRzAoErc
I literally agree with everything in this piece lol.
Thank you for writing this.
This is so good. Funny, smart, and painfully accurate. “More rescue dogs than golden doodles” absolutely sent me. The 90s really were an odd little parenting bridge generation - equal parts “you’ll live” and “you are special,” which is probably why so many of us are both resilient and weirdly over-prepared for emotional collapse.
Thank you, Tamara! So glad that line hit you and so agree with your take. Resilience is the perfect call-out
My grandma always told my mom that "no one was looking at (her)." I have tried so hard to pass that on to my kids... with humor whenever possible! To say that everyone is worried about the zit on their own nose. Lately I've been saying, when you're feeling the most self conscious, compliment the heck out of everyone around you. They'll never remember what you are or are not wearing!
This is a perfect tactic! Genius!
🔥
THIS IS SO GOOD. ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 This just hit: "When you’re not fixated on how you appear to others, you get to be more of yourself. Accepting that not everyone is thinking about you, nor clocking your every pigeon-toed movement, is liberating." 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing!
So done caring what others think. I write what makes me happy (humour), don’t colour my hair and tell anyone who has a problem nothing - because I don’t care what they think. I am a good person, a loving friend and I like making people laugh. But I’m dancing for myself (with all due respect to Billy Idol 😉)
Love this freedom! Good on you.
Yesss, thank you for sharing! It is truly freeing to think that no one cares what we’re doing (except those that actually matter). I had a friend once share how she thinks about how no one will remember us after we’re gone, and I always go back to that.
Very true and great wisdom!
Yes yes and yes. How many times have my partner and I said this to our friends. You’re not that important and what you did or didn’t do or say (within reason of course) didn’t ruin someone else’s life.
I skipped my dad’s ritual of using a baseboard on our backsides for unfavorable behavior.
But not everyone has to like us, engage with us, or even think we’re worth their time. And that is a funny lesson to teach our kiddos in today’s world. Just because I think my son is the bee’s knees doesn’t mean everyone else will.
Thanks for sharing this. Obviously it resonated 💐
Love to hear this—thank you. It is freeing to recognize our unimportance and to just go for it (whatever that is).
Also a product of the 1990s and I could relate to so much of this! When I first read "you're not that important," there was definitely a part of me that didn't want or like to hear that. But then, yes, I also felt so free! Free to explore, try things, be curious… and not need to hold myself back from the things I'm pulled to do because I'm concerned about what others will think.
Right? I did too, and thought it needed to be called out. But ultimately, so liberating to realize that no one is clocking what we're up to.
Love this perspective!
There are people who don’t like Friends?
This really stayed with me. There’s something so freeing in letting go of how much we think we’re being seen. It makes it easier to just be, without overthinking every little thing. That idea of unimportance as freedom really resonates.