Treat others as you want to be treated. It’s as if we ask ourselves, “If I was in their situation, I would want…” but it is so much more.

First, what we want isn’t what someone else necessarily wants. We might prefer to be left alone in a situation when someone else craves interaction and company. We might want someone to teach us how to do something when someone else prefers to have someone else do it for them even if it costs them.

Second, doing for others as you’d want done for you isn’t just about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes; it’s giving needs away. It’s humbly setting ourselves aside. When we lessen ourselves, our needs become less, too. We don’t meet our own needs by filling the gaps we have but by filling someone else’s gaps. We set aside our trust in our own assessments of what everyone needs and our ability to meet those needs, and we simply and generously respond.

What do you need now?

Patience?

Mercy?

Forgiveness?

Compassion?

Assistance?

Understanding?

Company?

Give it away.

You’ll be amazed at how giving away what you most need will fill you, too.