Yet another advantage of getting older

As I get older, I find that I don't care quite as much about what other people think.

Of course I still CARE. You won't see me romping about the streets in my pajamas, as much as I like wearing my pajamas. (Side note: interesting that my Mac tries to autocorrect the word "pajamas" to the British spelling "pyjamas").  I just don't quite care as obsessively as I did when I was younger.

Part of this is due to the fact that I'm more confident than I was years ago. Part of it is because I realize now that there are WAY more important things I can be stressing about other than what people are thinking of me.

Even if I tried to convey this message to my younger self, there's no way I would have listened to the older me.

The whole "don't worry so much about what other people think" can also be applied to creative work. It's hard not to want to read every review, constantly check sales levels, compare yourself to others…but if you get too caught up in how other people judge you, then you're just asking for a lot of angst. I don't know about the rest of you, but I find it necessary to shut all that out when I'm trying to do something truly creative.

Comments

[Brenda Huddleston]

Hello,

I just found your site and LOVE it. Very entertaining. I am a retired corporate manager who has just begun writing. Retirement had to come before I could start my dream, but it is finally here. It is so true that you don't have to waste so much time worrying about what other people think when you get older. Just sorry I spent so much of my youth doing just that. Keep up the good work. I will keep up with your blog!