Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

I recently heard the Polish proverb, Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys and had a revelation about how people tend to be worried about other people's problems and try to fix them or worry about them.  I thought about how I worry about what's going on mainly around my workplace.  I don't get involved with the gossip but I do get upset that I have such a heavy workload and a lot of my co-workers do not have a heavy workload and they come in late, take long lunch hours and leave early and never offer to pitch in to help the "workhorses" in the department.  This proverb has made me take a step back and realize that other people's workload is not in my control.  I cannot force these people to work their specified hours or make them help others.  I do not have to pay these co-workers - it is the company I work for who pays them so its their problem if these people are slacking off.  It is the company who is losing money and production - not me.  

I think this proverb can trickle into other areas of life as well such as social media, family, and friends.  Worrying about other people's problems that doesn't directly affect you is a waste of time, depletes your happiness, and adds unnecessary stress to your life.

Now, when something bothers me that really isn't my problem, I say this proverb in my head, forget about the issue that isn't mine and move on.