When we come to the point in our lives where we must learn to take care of ourselves, we must first broaden our understanding of what it is to be self-centered. Is it wrong to say ‘no’ to someone, even when they seem to need what we have? How can we do that and not feel like we’re being unkind and inconsiderate, as we’ve learned to call “self-centeredness”? Where can we find a balance between sharing and not sharing, to name the boundary so that we can control what we do and do not share and take care of ourselves with respect for our limits and the strength and free will of others?
Our definition of self-centeredness is easy to unlearn when viewed from the perspective of service. Everything in our lives should serve our desire for joy, love, peace and abundance. Every decision we make can start from the point where we say ‘yes’ to what serves us and ‘no’ to what does not serve us.
From this perspective, every choice is made from the point of honoring our path of learning, healing, transformation and ascension† We are responsible for these aspects in our lives in the same way that everyone is responsible for their own aspects. Being self-centered means taking care of ourselves so that all the time, energy and emotion we give to others comes from a place of wholeness, and we can’t be whole if we’ve given ourselves away every day simply because we feel obligated to do so .
Choices that honor us don’t dishonor others, they remind us of those we have control over and who is important in our lives. And by being powerful, self-centered, and serving ourselves, we expand our energetic presence so that we can be more generous, more generous, and more loving with others.
We have more to give when our cup is full than when it is empty. And we are a better example of living masterfully when we feel like masters than when we feel like servants. The choice to say ‘no’ to giving away time, energy and emotions is powerful when we first take a personal inventory to see if our own needs are being met. Then we become a powerful source for others because we give from a place of strength.
Energy work for this week:
Take a personal inventory of who and what you give your time, energy and emotions. How does this serve you? Where should your cup be refilled so that you feel whole and complete? How can you better serve yourself and become self-centered so that you feel more powerful in your life? What do you have to say ‘no’ to so that you can say ‘yes’ to yourself? Spend some energy each day this week making a self-directed choice by asking yourself if what you are doing is serving you by expanding love, joy, peace and abundance into your life. If it doesn’t, what other choice can you make that respects your energetic limits?
