Walking on Wednesday ~ Helping or Hurting?

These thoughts occurred to me today:

I cannot help me to the detriment of you

and

I cannot help you to the detriment of me

It also occurred to me I am guilty of both.

This is a fine line we all walk - helping others and helping ourselves. It is an ever shifting line, and often we get all tangled up in that line. 

It came to my attention that my walks and runs, ever increasing in length and exertion, have taken a small toll on the dog. She seems always starving when it's dinner time. I know, she is a dog and always wants what we are having, but lately her demeanor is urgent. Her vibes are - 'I am SO hungry ... I WANT WHAT YOU ARE MAKING'. So much so I am tripping over her as I prepare dinner! 

Also, she no longer pulls me on our walks, well unless a squirrel runs in our path. She walks right beside me, even lags sometimes. That is until we make the turn around to come home, then she is out front again. And today, she looked downright miserable by the time we got home. Cold, wet, and tired. 

Okay, I get it. Helping me to the detriment of her. Easy. Leave her home sometimes, and those days push myself the hardest. Ease up on the days with her. This could be better for me too come to think of it. Maybe that's what my legs are trying to tell me.

The other one is not so easy. 

For me anyways. I am always trying to help others achieve their goals, often at the detriment to myself. My bank account shows this, my greatly increased stress levels show this, my uncolored grays show this, my dirty bathrooms show this. I am working so hard to make the people I represent successful, I haven't made a Toekini in months. My online business has never suffered so much, and now my personal life is suffering. 

I am working so hard I use almost every waking moment to work which means I don't cook very much, I don't clean very much, and lately I don't sleep very much. I thank my hubby for keeping up with the laundry because I just haven't taken the time! And treat myself? Well, I did get a hair cut the other day, but my daughter needed one too so we went together. (motivation was to take care of her....) And last night, instead of coloring my own hair, I help her with hers. 

I get in now. Helping others to the detriment to me. This is as undesirable as helping me to the detriment to others.
Not such and easy fix for me. But then I found this quote.

To give the best we have, we must be our best. And to be our best, we must be sure to remember to take care of ourselves. This line we must not bend. It is easily bent it is so fine, but we must not bend it.

Let's not forget it. Let's master the art of helping others - and ourselves.