It's NOT about me!

It seems that God has been starting to open my eyes a bit more to how much i make life about me! It's sickening how much i think about myself on a daily basis! I am often thinking about what my needs are and how they will be met. I have made life about me for so long (my whole life really) that it is first nature to me. I often do it subconsciously! God has been hitting me a lot lately with the concept of dieing to self. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24. I have been trying to picture/define what it is to deny oneself completely. What does it realistically look like in my daily life to deny myself. I recently read an example a friend wrote about when things in life get unclear we are tempted to pull out our own plans or "road maps" to follow rather than God's better plan that He has for us. So with that concept in mind, would denying myself be giving up my self-made desires, plans, schedules and dreams, and not fall back on them when God has decided to not show me the next step in front of me? Living examples of how this might look in my life are: getting up earlier to be able to have longer quiet times, giving up comforts that mask as daily essentials, possibly giving up areas of volunteer work, changing my schedule to make room for more reading of the Bible rather than socializing, not going back to college, laying life-long ministry/career desires and dreams on the alter of God and not filling the new empty space with new dreams and desires... I'm sure the list could go on. This is just my thoughts on denying myself in relation to God. I also wonder how does it look for Hannah Parcher to deny herself daily for the sake of others? Could it mean: letting my roommate keep the house the way she rearranged it because she obviously likes it that way, letting people be right and not arguing with them saying their wrong(whither they are or aren't), not altering my physical appearance simply because some of the people i love prefer me not to and because i love and respect them so much i should respect their desires and wishes, working harder or perhaps longer so that someone else won't have to do it(whatever it may be) for a change, changing my schedule so that others don't have to change theirs, letting someone else lead an area simply because they are better at the leading or just to let them lead that area for once even if i love working in that area... again the list could go on and i am still just beginning to discover what it means and looks like to die to myself on a daily basis. I simply pray that God will continue to be my great teacher in this matter. Will you pray with me on this? Thank you, and please feel free to let me now what God is currently teaching you and how i may pray for you. "But encourage one another day after day as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13