The more I mind my own business, the better it is for me.

Leading researchers have concluded that minding your own business is the key to happiness.

I cannot count the number of times I was annoyed, surprised or stressed by information, that would have on close examination been determined to be none of my business.  Which poses two questions:

1) Why do I react if it's none of my business? 

2) Why don't I say it's none of my business?

This is kind of my new strategy for life answering these questions. We all know the scenario. The drama starts and we get involved, either because we are told something or because we think some injustice might have been done so we help. The first rule of a good narcissist is to not take responsibility for anything, and by involving me in some drama of some sort, and I responding, I am giving control to the narcissist. I give the bastard an out. I give him, or her a way to keep themselves being the center of attention a little longer. My new adage is "not my circus, not my monkeys"

We don't say  things like "If it don't have my name on it, it's not my mail" very often because as good people we don't want to offend the other one. We are helpers by nature and design, our lives are typically fuller when dedicated to service of others. So we help and saying no is not a natural reaction as it is counter intuitive.  It takes will power to say "not my circus, not my monkeys" The narcissist will think you are trying to withhold something and they will try harder to get it. Until they give up, and if you   capitulate, they win. And they love to win.

So, "not my circus, not my monkeys" is a very useful tool for cutting the legs out from under potentially dramatic situations. My new goal is to  just sit back and wonder how naïve some people can be. Including some stories people tell themselves that could be  on an episode of Family Guy. 

So rather than spend my days trying to protect stupid people from themselves, and as a result encouraging more stupid people to try and book appointments, I have decided to mind my own business.

You have three choices for my involvement in your drama:
1) You can take my advice and I will back you 100%.
2) You can tell me what you are going to do, then do and I will back you 100%.
3) If you say you are going to take my advice, or don't bother to do what you said you were going to do and come running to me when it goes to shite. My answer to you will be: "Not my circus, not my monkeys"

If experience is any sort of teacher, my work with some people just got a whole lot easier.