Fwd: DailyOM: To Others And To Ourselves[[[ joy]]]]]this is for you

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.

Spiritual freedom is my birthright.

I am a free thinker. I am able to rise above mental

prejudices and stereotypes of others.

I am a free thinker. Nobody and nothing can manipulate

me or deceive me.

I am a free thinker. I freely choose truth and love.

Today, I embrace a greater degree of spiritual

freedom.

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Be a better friend, newshound, and

know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

Today's DailyOM brought to you by:

December 21, 2007

To Others And To Ourselves

Obligations

We all encounter obligations in life, from spending time with family and friends to being present at important functions in the lives of the people who form our community. Many times, the obligations are actually fun and fulfilling, and we want to be there. At the same time, we all sometimes experience resistance to meeting these obligations, especially when they pile up all at once and we begin to feel exhausted, longing for nothing so much as a quiet evening at home. At times like these, we may want to say no but feel too guilty at the idea of not being there. Still, our primary obligation is to take care of ourselves, and if saying no to someone else is what we have to do, then we do not need to feel bad about it.

There is a skill to balancing our obligations, and it starts with simply becoming aware of our schedule. We may notice that three invitations have arisen in one weekend, and we know that we will pay energetically if we attempt to fulfill all three. At this point, we can take the time to weigh the repercussions of not going to each event, considering how we will feel if we miss it and how our absence might affect other people. Most of the time, it will be clear which obligation we can most easily let go and which one we simply can’t miss. Sometimes we have to miss something really important to us, and that can be painful for everyone concerned. At times like this, reaching out with a phone call, a thoughtful card, or a gift lets people know that you are there in spirit and that your absence is by no means a result of you not caring.

Meeting our obligations to others is an important part of being human and not one to take lightly. At the same time, we cannot meet every obligation without neglecting our primary duty to take care of ourselves. We can navigate this quandary by being conscious of what we choose to do and not do and by finding concrete ways to extend our caring when we are not able to be there in person.

What do you think?

Discuss this article and share your opinion

Want more DailyOM?

Register for your free email,

or browse all articles

Share the OM:

Email this to a friend

Printable version

Save in My DailyOM

Discuss this article

Today's friend of OM:

Flower and Gem Report. Explore the ancient art of flower essences, gemstones and color therapy. Tarot.com's new Flower and Gem report reveals how to use these simple, natural remedies to restore balance and harmony … and also reach higher potentials. Written by expert astrologer and Reiki healer Ronco.

For more information visit Tarot.com

From the Library:

A Still, Small Voice

by Echo Bodine

More DailyOM:

Browse the Library

Today's Horoscopes

Shop the Marketplace

Join the Community

Home | Gift Shop | My DailyOM | Marketplace | Community | Archives | Share The OM |

Contact Us

Subscribe | Change Email | User Settings | Unsubscribe |

Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Gift Shop FAQ | Advertising Info

Make DailyOM Your Homepage | Link To Us |

Publish DailyOM On Your Website

© 2004-07 DailyOM - No portion of this site can be reprinted without express permission

Artwork by Wang Chang-Ming