Do Unto Others

Do unto others as you have them do unto you. It is also known as the Golden Rule. A simple and wise rule to live by, but something humanity struggles to adhere to.

It is also very close to another age-old axiom, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Again, this sounds easy enough. And what if you are one of those people, as many of us are, who are not in the habit of treating yourself very well at all?

How do you typically treat yourself? Do you like yourself? Do you love yourself? Do you approve, care, and not judge yourself harshly? Are you kind and encouraging to yourself? Or is your internal mental chatter and expression riddled with thoughts like:

If you contemplate the Golden Rule, it turns out to be an injunction to live by grace rather than by what you think other people deserve ~ Deepak Chopra

I’m not good enough.

I’m not worthy of all that is good in life.

I will never be loved.

I will never be prosperous.

I don’t deserve to be paid enough for a job well done.

I’m too fat.

I’m too thin.

I’m too ugly. 

Well it’s no secret – what we put out to the universe is what is going on in our own mind and heart, our subconscious thoughts. Thoughts are things that reflect how we treat ourselves and others. The kind of vocabulary we repeatedly use with others and ourselves, determine the lives we live. And the way we treat ourselves reflects how we treat the world around us.

Once our negative self-talk becomes a habit, it’s easier said than done to change it. As a psychic medium and empath, I have learned it takes a lot of practice not to take one’s own problems, attitude and judgments to work with you. After all, we all are only human. For example, when you have just had an argument, or been criticized by a partner or boss, even a best friend, it is very hard to smile at the next person you encounter.

But it is possible to cultivate a good habit, a kind response, even when we don’t really feel like it. You can change your attitude by just simply saying to the other person, and yourself, “I’m sorry you feel that way.” Don’t take it personal. Change your thoughts about the situation. Apply the Golden Rule. It is always your choice what you allow to reside in your mind.

I have something that I call my Golden Rule. It goes something like this: ‘Do unto others twenty-five percent better than you expect them to do unto you.’ … The twenty-five percent is for error ~ Linus Pauling

Most of the world religions and spiritual traditions have their own version of the Golden Rule. It doesn’t matter which version you believe in, it all comes back to the same thing. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Treat yourself the way you want to be treated.

So, why do so many people judge others so harshly say and commit such cruel acts to one another? It may be the way they grew up. It is learned behavior. Judging themselves, others always putting them down. Treating their own mind and body in a cruel way. Thinking their way of doing and believing is the right and only right way.

It has been said that when people are working for a common goal differences seem to dissolve, and they begin to work together. Deep within our genes, cells and organs, there are connections and similarities that link us to every other creature on the planet. Let’s treat others accordingly.

We know that our actions bring about cause and effect. So, I will leave you with this thought. Be kind. To yourself. To others. To the planet.