Self-Involved

We've all met them. Those people who always turn things into something about themselves. Or, only talk about themselves, and what's going on with them, with no care for what's going on in your life. "Let's talk about me."

I was reminded of this when I was talking to one of the women I work with this summer about the end of summer checkout process (and what a HUGE pain in the butt it's becoming). And apparently she only heard the parts that applied to her, because the conversation went from that to how I can help her get a clerical position in the county. 

Uhhh...did ya miss the part about me being a speech therapist in this HUGE county? Like I have any pull whatsoever, anywhere (unless you want to be a speech therapist, in which case I maybe have a little sway)? I appreciate the compliment that you think I have such power, but in reality, I'm a lowly minion just like you.

I saw her later that morning and she asked me if I knew of any clerical positions in the other building I mentioned that I had to go to for a meeting this week. NOT a place that I work at, just a meeting! (Yep, you were definitely not paying attention to a thing I said...)

In those moments talking to this woman (or really, saying certain words that resonated with her while the others were discarded), I realized just how easily someone can make you feel unimportant. 

I know there are times when someone tells me a story and I feel like I can relate, so I share that. I wonder if that's ever perceived the way I took this woman's response to me. I feel like in MY moments, I try and say things more like "Oh, I can definitely relate because I had this happen....which is similar to your story"....more of a way of connecting, not making it all about me. At least, that's not my intention. I guess it's a fine line sometimes.

(And then, of course, you have people who think that they are FAR more important than you. Like, for instance, the person who asks you to change your wedding date, colors, bridesmaid dresses, etc because it's too close or too similar to hers....she has every right to have what she wants, but since I'm not as important as she is, I should change my ideas for my dream wedding, right?)

After my interaction with the lady at work, I'm definitely gonna be more conscious of being an ACTIVE listener, and not just turning things around and making them about me. Just another step in trying to be the best version of me that I can be!

You've all had this happen before, right? How do you deal with it?

(P.S. when did it become August?? What happened to July? My summer is dwindlingggg......)