Caring Is a Strength.
Caring about people is a strength in life and in business, once you learn the lessons that keep it from holding you back.
Caring about other people is an absolute strength in life and in business.
The way you think of other people when they aren’t around because you want them to be happy, or you want to help them, is such a compliment to how amazing they are and also to your own character. When they are in front of you, the way you give them your full attention, the way you love on them and speak victory and happiness over them, bringing joy to their day even if they can’t express gratitude for it.
But there are some lessons we have to learn in order to balance it, and prevent it from becoming a weakness that holds us back.
When I was growing up, I was an extremely caring and helpful kid. I wanted to help everyone and anyone around me, whether it was a classmate in school, or the homeless guy on the street.
I quickly learned however, that it didn’t always work out. I was confused. I didn’t understand. All I wanted to do was help people.
I didn’t realize that maybe they don’t want help, regardless of what I think, and that I had to honor their process and timing.
I didn’t realize that maybe they were taking advantage of me, that they didn’t really need help but they were asking for it so they didn’t have to do it themselves. I had to start recognizing that and learn to value myself and my time more.
I didn’t realize that maybe they needed to learn and struggle and fail for themselves, rather than rely on someone else all the time, that I shouldn’t do for them what they can do for themselves.
I didn’t realize that in order to “give”, I have to “have” and if I didn’t have or know something, I couldn’t help. So I needed to make sure that my fire was burning, to take care of myself, so I’d be able to shine light and warmth on others.
Today, in life and in business, I really want people to be happy and I want them to be the best they can be. That heart is an important intention behind everything I do, even if the other person won’t accept whatever I’m sharing.
First published on Medium (opens in a new tab) on December 4, 2021. Lightly edited for this site.
