We feel and weigh soon enough what we suffer from others; but how much others suffer from us, of this we take no heed. Thomas à Kempis
Do I have two sets of rules: one for me, another for you? A double standard allows me to rationalize and excuse my behavior. Other people’s rules—well, they ought to know better. People know how sensitive I am, how hurt I’ll be. When I use others to vent my misery, I am acting in the same sick way I did when I was practicing my compulsion.
Those who love me unconditionally will forgive me, but I do myself no favors by whitewashing the matter and letting the real problem go unattended. The outlook for recovery begins to brighten when I can say, “If I make allowances for myself, I will also make allowances for you.” With progress toward sanity and balance, each of us can treat the other as we want to be treated.
For today: When I start to rationalize some shady behavior, I ask myself, “If someone else did this, would I make the same excuse?”
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