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Putting Yourself First Part 1 Return to Self Study Page
By LifeAdviceSite.com
 This course is also available as an MP3
Taking Care of Others
Like a lot of people I was raised with one of the basic but sometimes seemingly odd tenets of the human experience:
"Always put others before yourself."
It's always made sense to me. Even as I sat down and prepared to
express what I am about to say, it still makes sense in theory. No one
would really believe that being selfish is actually a good thing.
In fact, we shun those who only look out for themselves. We are
horrified to witness people ignore a dying man on the street. We
demand no child be left behind, we punish those parents we deem guilty
of neglecting their child and no matter what we do, we always find
strength in numbers.
Simply put, we are taught to take care of each other in this world, and
we learn early on that we are never alone on this planet. We are all
in this together, and we should all make it out alive - together.
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We
teach our children to open themselves up in a spirit of hospitality.
We offer guests in our home the best seat, the first serving and free
choice for whatever they desire, in some cases even at great cost to
ourselves or our family. It's something that has been done the world
over for centuries. Some ancient societies believed in providing the
ultimate hospitality to any and all strangers who crossed their paths
because they never knew which one might be a god or an angel in
disguise. Nowadays it's more about being polite and providing a
welcoming atmosphere to all who share our home and space.
It's a wonderful concept, and I would certainly never suggest to put an
end to any of these practices if they are what you employ in your own
home and your own life. I think in general, this world could do with
more selfless kindness and general hospitality.
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I'm a big proponent of the idea. In fact, I love taking care of other
people. I try to offer whatever I have to give to my friends, my
family and even those I meet on a daily basis. If I can do it, I'm
more than happy to share whatever I can. I often give priority to
others in my life over what I may want for myself. Of course, I do not
do this because I feel an obligation or worry about what someone would
otherwise think of me. I do it because of the love and caring I feel
for that person in that particular moment. It's one of my ways of
expressing my feelings for them.
Part II Positive Balance
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about. It's your life - live the best one possible every day! |
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Self Putting Yourself First 1