– ish
We think of -ish as a small thing.
- I’m hungry-ish
- I’ll be there about 5-ish
- I’m OK-ish
The -ish part making the other part less of what it is.
So it got me thinking… when someone is called self-ish, is it good or bad?
It could be perceived that a little ‘me time’ is seen by others as selfishness and a huge problem. Quite the opposite use of the -ish word. Suddenly -ish is big.
So now I’m thinking – call me selfish and it may just be a complement!
Applied in the right way, doing what it takes (perhaps that little me-time) and getting myself all fresh and focused on things that matter allows me to improve in certain ways. Whether it’s having interests or hobbies or exercise or friends or anything that allows me to evolve and appreciate what makes me buzz or gives me a pop of interest & colour. Harnessing those aspects of my personality that made me interesting to people in the first place as well as allowing me to constantly discover & evolve. Everybody wins in the process.
It’s not far off the message that you need to love yourself before you can love anyone else. And in that process you discover all your own thoughts, desires, likes, dislikes and, in that, creativity grows.
I’m not naive enough to think that being self-ish is always applied well or thoughtfully! We’ve all experienced someone’s total disregard for others whilst they focus single-mindedly on what they want for themselves. That’s going to far and can he hurtful to those around them.
Self-ish where it allows you and others around you to constantly evolve, to appreciate and to support each other is the kind of self-ish I like. It can create challenges. Creativity thrives on tension. In those instances where people around you don’t like your -ish they may need to reflect upon the fact that the issue isn’t you singular, it’s somewhere between you plural. The decision then is for them to question their own motives in this.
Those that love you grow with you.
Here’s to the Power of -ish