Put People First

Grandma was my teacher. When I used to stay with her as a child, she taught me about sharing, helping and serving. She introduced me to the concept of thinking about other people as opposed to always centering my life around me.

As I grew older, I took that advice to heart and it gradually became part of me. To help and serve others. To share with others what I have. It was just natural for me to step into the path of medicine.

Practicing my belief to think of others first became a second nature. I was thinking about how to do my best to help my patients. I was learning more in depth in my specialty so I could be better equipped to take care of my patients, especially the ones with a complicated medical history. I was figuring out ways to contribute to my family, to spend time with my children, to teach them to put others first.

Somehow, this habit of putting people first evolved into no need to care for myself. I started to think that I was not important. That I was young and invincible, so I could eat junk food and stay up late. I was almost convinced that I actually should be putting the oxygen mask on other people before putting mine on.

Focusing on what other people need and how you can contribute is a great purpose in life, yet it should not be the excuse of compromising taking care of yourself. You cannot give what you do not have. That is true in every aspect of our existence, such as in material processions, in physical health and in mental capacity.

I gradually find my balance. Currently, I am taking care of myself and my focus is on helping and serving others. I am taking good care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually so that I can help and serve others to the best of my ability. This is a win-win situation. I get to have the fuel to help and grow. I get to learn, grow, better myself to take care of others.

When we focus on contribution rather than our own needs, we get to be grateful for what we have, and the opportunity to give. Giving is always more fulfilling than receiving. That does not mean that we should not receive at all – there is always a time and place for both giving and receiving.

To put people first is to understand what they need help with. It is to get to know them and to use their perspectives to view the world. This does not mean that we are abandoning our needs or forgetting who we are. It just means that our goal is to lift others up rather than help ourselves rise. What matters is the motivation behind doing something.

We live in a dynamic world that is always changing and always evolving. The Earth will be a much better place if we can all focus on helping others grow and meeting their needs. I think this is the common connection between one person and another. This is the way to having gratitude and feeling abundant. We will always have something to offer.