“Put on your oxygen mask before helping others”. On the plane, in an emergency, this rule applies to all crew members before they attempt to help the passengers. And the passengers, on their turn, do the same. Imagine if a flight attendant sympathizes with a child and with an act of valor decides to prioritize him/her with help before securing her own breathing! What will be the consequences? Suffocating without oxygen, she will immediately collapse before the child, failing to rescue the very soul which she had so nobly placed ahead of herself.  

 Definitely, in this specific situation, rushing to help others first is not chivalry or extreme boldness, but rather an uncalculated emotional reaction. Save yourself before you save others! It should not be considered selfish by any means to put yourself first in some cases. This misconception has to be changed.

 The same golden rule descends from heavens to earth. Prioritizing your life and personal needs is not a shameful or a selfish act. It is a must! How could you ever give from an empty cup? Differentiate between your needs and your duties towards others and attempt to strike a balance. Declutter your life before you juggle all the balls. Draw a line between what people expect from you and what you can really do to them. 

Every day, we have a long to-do list of duties towards others but do we ever have a similar list for your own souls? Do this for X, visit Y and don’t forget to run and errand for this and that and so on and so forth. Commitments towards family and friends shackle us at times with heavy obligations that overwhelm us. We get depleted of the energy. We give infinitely without refilling our tanks. Overnight, we wake up totally exhausted physically and mentally. We cease to proceed with what we were expected to do. 

 For years we have been turning a deaf ear to a helpless cry from within to be seen and heard. We were heedless to an urgent need to look into ourselves or to pay attention to our minds and souls. We even blamed ourselves for daring to rearrange our priorities. ”How could you think of yourself you selfish soul? What an inconsiderate person! Shed off your self-centered thoughts! Shrug off this evil enticed ideas off your shoulder.”

Year after year, this person who used to care about each and every one except himself loses the ability to help. Saving your own soul is a divine priority. Help yourself. Love yourself for it is no sin. Make yourself happy as you do to others. It is OK to think about your needs and demands. Keep a balance. Listen to your soul. Nourish it with a tasty meal, a good book, a nice movie or a beautiful piece of art. Remember: Put your oxygen mask first!