What is your duty? Is it to your family? Is it to society? Is it to your job? Is it towards your country? Or is it to yourSelf? These are questions that we each have to answer for ourselves and the answer is unique and personal. Duty is also accompanied by fear. This is not necessarily a fear of doing the wrong thing yet more not providing due diligence towards that duty and then feeling like we are coming up short. We do this regularly but more so when dealing with the duty towards ourSelves. A fireman would not be very good at his duty to save others in need if he or she were afraid of the fire. A pilot would not be very good at his or her flying duties if they are afraid of heights. A doctor would not be helpful if he or she was frightened of talking to their patients. Similarly we would not be paying the correct allegiance to ourSelves if we were fearful of taking care of our needs. These may be in the form of quiet time for us to reflect on our lives through meditation. Perhaps it is doing some physical exercise and keeping our bodies healthy. It could even be spending time praying and connecting to your Source. Spending time to enjoy personal hobbies that give you joy and happiness.  Probably choosing healthier choices to eat or drink might also fall into the category of dutiful behavior towards yourSelf.

If you cannot take care of yourSelf then the needs of others be it family, dependents or a nation cannot be met. It all starts from you. For example Santa Claus has to make sure that he does not get “sleigh-sickness” as he whizzes around the globe in one night at Mach 5 delivering presents, otherwise he would not be an effective “hope deliverer.” Once his personal fears of  the roller coaster like mid air flying and constant turbulence are overcome, especially the fear that wearing no seatbelt may be a problem, are faced then the journey to every chimney top and post office station becomes simpler. Drugs and alcohol are not really forms of fear banishment but merely liquid encouragement to stay composed in the face of fear, which unfortunately manifests as the opposite reaction to what you are looking for.

We are perpetually exhausted from all the mental, physical and emotional bombardment of responsibilities and stimuli yet the duty towards our personal Selves continues to be neglected. The unhappiness that we emanate is our Spirit calling out for help and reprieve. If the call is answered we delve into a world of negativity and misery, and once this sets in, our ability to help anyone or change any event is seriously diminished. With every day,  become more aware of your duty to Self. This is  not some selfish call to arms and abandon your overall responsibilities and sit on the couch and demand your time. In fact it is just the opposite. Becoming more proactive and carving out your personal time for yourSelf is just as important as fulfilling your roles as parent, coworker, friend, spouse or any number of roles we jump into with that superhero mentality. Be kind and gentler to yourSelf. Listen to yourSelf. You have needs that can only be met by you, and not by anyone else. Loving yourSelf is as important and necessary as it is loving another.

Attention ! Duty calls…. and its all about You.