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Finding Balance: The Importance of Prioritizing Your Own Experience
Have you ever felt like you're missing out on something because you couldn't attend a party or an event? Or perhaps you find yourself spending countless hours scrolling through social media or fixating on gossip about others, whether friends or foes. All of these examples demonstrate how we waste our energy on the experiences of others.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's essential to consider others and reflect on our relationships and interactions. However, when we spend too much time focused on the experiences of others, we may end up neglecting our own. This can cause us to miss out on opportunities for self-reflection, better understanding of ourselves, and ultimately, growth.
Imagine this scenario - you've just made a significant decision, and instead of taking the time to reflect on it, you find yourself more concerned about where Kim Kardashian went for lunch today. Or maybe you wish you had more time to learn a new skill, but instead, you spend your time obsessing over your neighbors actions.
Of course, there are times when we need to reflect on the experiences of others, especially when they affect us directly or are close to us. Personally, I like to reflect on others' experiences to better support them, as an opportunity to measure their actions and choices against those I might have made in a similar situation. Or, on the more creative side, I use others' experiences as material for the stories I write, including these newsletters.
The key is to find a balance between the two. Spend more time focusing on your own experiences, but don't neglect the experiences of others completely. Make sure to communicate, collaborate, and contemplate others' experiences, but not more than is beneficial and / or distracts you from your own experience.
Remember, you are the most important person in your life. By putting your oxygen mask on first, you'll be better equipped to be present with others and have more capacity for when it really matters. This will likely improve your personal experience and make others' experiences with you much more pleasant too.
So this week, I challenge you to catch yourself when your thoughts or conversations lead to the experiences of others. Ask yourself if it's helping you or if that your time could be better used to improve your own experience. You might be surprised.
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