When we don’t take care of ourselves, we release a grumpy, hungry, hurt, angry, irritated, unhealthy animal into the world. That unhealthy animal sees itself in everyone it meets and projects its pain, sorrow, and suffering to everyone. It spreads all of it to unsuspecting others.
A fully healed animal doesn’t run the risk of getting an infection that could later spread to the rest of the tribe. When we take care of ourselves, we roam freely, like a happy one. A happy one spreads happiness to others. Wherever it goes, people don’t run in fear. People rejoice. People make merry.
Whatever might be your skills, talents, and achievements, a hungry, angry, unhealthy, wild animal is a threat despite all its blessings. Imagine a rich, successful animal with designer clothes, expensive perfume, in a luxury car, with an expensive phone, and precious shoes – with a brain that is super stressed, a heart that is fragile, and a body that is delicate. Except for the ego, nothing else is solid. The animal might constantly live in the fear of ‘what if my car gets scratched, shoes get dirty, clothes get stained, the phone stops working’ and above all – ‘What must people be thinking of me?’ Despite all luxuries, talents, and comforts, the animal is uncomfortable and projects its own fears onto every single being it meets.
And think of this other, so-called, selfless being. Tirelessly working for everyone else and has no time to take care of itself. It runs day and night, fights tooth and nail, but burns out quickly and soon falls ill. Now it feels guilty. It feels it should’ve taken better care of itself when it still had health. Now forget taking care of others, it can’t even take care of itself. Bitter feelings arise about the same others whom it spent all its time nourishing. Imagine, if this being had taken care of itself as it was taking care of the rest of the world. Today there’d be 2 happy parties.
Hence, it is not in taking care of others but in taking care of yourself first that you take care of the world in the most effective way. And if you are not taking care of yourself, you are putting the world at greater risk, my friend! Trying to find happiness by helping others won’t work unless we learn to help ourselves first. What I see outside of me, is because that’s what is true inside of me. If you want the world to be beautiful, kind, and friendly, you have to be that first. Otherwise, no matter how much others recognize you and your strengths, you’ll still be broken by a small gust of wind or criticism. Even love will threaten you if you don’t understand the language of love. So, take care of yourself, strengthen your core every day. Know your strengths, love yourself, be there for yourself.