Do you want to increase your capacity to be of benefit to other people? I’ve been learning lately how important it is to grow and take care of oneself in order to be able to be a benefit to other people. To be clear, I’m not saying the stereotypical “Take care of #1.” I’m not saying that we sit back and do all the self-indulgent stuff we’ve always wanted to do before we get started on making a difference in the lives of other people. I wouldn’t recommend putting off getting clear on your life’s purpose until you travel the world like you’ve always wanted to. It’s important that we make a priority of making our positive impact. At the same time, we can’t give from an empty cup. So, it’s also a priority to take good care of ourselves in order to be a benefit to other people.
I had an eye-opening experience a couple months ago. I attended a seminar put on by the couple that coaches us. I attended with the intention to get some great tips on running a great seminar, as we were in the thick of planning our Life Impact Academy. My coach, leading the seminar, asked each of us what we were willing to do to help the others benefit from the seminar, what our contribution would be. I thoughtfully considered and decided I would masterfully hold space for the other participants to have deep revelations about themselves and to really grow. I was quite pleased with my answer and my intended contribution.
Then she turned it around and asked us to do that thing for ourselves first. She explained that our capacity to be there and contribute to others was in direct proportion to our capacity to do those things for ourselves. My reaction? I was mad. I was tired of growing and I’d been looking forward to a break from the personal development. I couldn’t believe I would have to do more of it right then.
I’m grateful for that lesson that day. I’m in the business of helping people grow personally. I don’t ever intend to stop growing myself, but apparently I was hoping for a break. Sometimes, I’ll need to push forward, even when I don’t want to. And I’ve come to believe that my capacity to be there for other people is directly proportionate to my capacity to be there for myself.
Today, I hope you’ll consider your willingness to do these things:
- How willing are you to be still and be present with yourself?
- How willing are you to listen to yourself?
- How willing are you to grow and change?
- How willing are you to try new things for yourself?
- How willing are you to help yourself?
- How willing are you to take great care of yourself?
- How willing are you to evaluate and set new priorities for your life?
So you may be able to relate to the saying, “You can’t give from an empty cup.” Just be aware that saying can actually be pretty deep. How can you help other people when you aren’t helping(or even taking care of) yourself? How can you be really there for other people if you aren’t really there with yourself? How we treat ourselves will certainly effect how well we are able to treat other people.
As you make plans for next year, I encourage you to include plans for taking good care of yourself. I also encourage you to get really good with being with yourself, listening to yourself and growing who you are as a person. It will have a profound impact on your capacity to have a deep and meaningful positive impact in the lives of other people.
