Do you put OTHER PEOPLE first?
Not just sometimes, but nearly ALL the time?
Are you filled up by being selfless and kind to others — even when it means you may suffer for it?
Do you rescue people who are struggling so that you feel needed and wanted, only to find yourself drained?
I know I have!
There have been countless times I’ve put OTHER PEOPLE first in my life and ME second.
For so long I saw this as an unselfish act — a way to pour into others so I could make a difference in the world.
What I realized is that when I was focusing on them — putting them first, pouring into them, making sure they were okay, etc. I was NOT filling myself up.
Sure, giving of ourselves can be a great way to feel joy, however if we do it at the expense of meeting our own needs it can get tiring, and emptiness can set in.
In the past, this eventually led to me feeling depleted and resentful because I had given so much and hadn’t received much in return.
I realize that giving a gift is something we would be best to do without expectation, however if we don’t give from a full place within, we are cheating ourselves and everybody else.
Eventually we will have to stop giving because we are running on empty.
And when you’re running on empty, the only way to get moving at a good pace again is to fill up.
I don’t know about you, but there have often been times when I haven’t known when to stop.
I would just keep giving and giving, depleting more and more, until there was nothing left.
I would end up feeling sad, resentful and in a place where I needed severe recharging.
So I started looking into putting myself first and what that really meant.
How could I do that and still give to others at the same time?
How can you?
