We've all seen and heard flight attendants go through their emergency routine about the oxygen masks.
"In case of emergency, oxygen masks will drop down in front of you. Please pull the mask down toward your face and place the mask over your mouth and nose...please attend to yourself first."
We are instructed to attend to ourselves first because we truly aren't in a position to help others until we're secure ourselves.
I realize now that this warning applies to our day-to-day lives, too. I am often asked to assist others in attaining or accomplishing something they seek. And oftentimes, I have helped said people even when helping them meant something I wanted to accomplish had to be placed on the back burner. I don't even need to say how frustrating it is for me to end the day as a blessing to others while putting myself behind the eight ball.
Last night, I made a vow to put the oxygen mask on ME FIRST! I'm no longer in the business of helping others fulfill goals at the expense of fulfilling my own.
NO! I'm not going to research how you can get in touch with someone when you can do the same research on Google your dang self!
NO! I'm not going to help you move. You'll have to call a moving company or other friends. I'm spending my Saturday doing precisely what I had intended to do: washing clothes, cleaning the apartment, or just lounging around, eating bonbons.
NO! I'm not going to read your feature screenplay this weekend and give you notes. I'm going to do what I had originally planned: walk up a mountain in Griffith Park, have lunch at El Tejano, then check out a play at The Mark Taper.
NO! I'm not going to assist anybody with anything UNTIL everything I want and/or need to get done GETS done!
From now on, it's ME FIRST!
Any other way is too painful.
Any other way, I CAN'T BREATHE.
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