During the last two or three decades there has been a huge movement which encourages everyone to put themselves first. You hear many a person encourage another to look after number one or else nobody else will do so; or perhaps you will hear said that you have to look after yourself or you won't be able to look after anyone else either.

This philosophy is true when taken in the right context or with the right spirit. But sometimes the primary focus upon putting oneself first can become rather twisted and it can then create some very negative karma. One should always remember that what goes around comes around; what you give out you get back.

As always, moderation in ones attitude and the ability to respond correctly in different contexts is the key. For example, it is interesting watching the ways in which different people drive. You see some people who politely give way to another, allowing that person to turn onto the road in front of them and finally move off a busy junction; you see others who closely tail gate the car in front so as to ensure that nobody can nudge their way in front of them. The first displays a generous and thoughtful spirit; the latter appears rather mean spirited.

Another example which I came across recently involved the simple act of queuing at a bar. There was a clear queue, but a couple of people approached from the side and when the bar tender asked who was next he immediately said that he was next and gave his drinks order. Nobody else said anything but it was clear that they all noticed and were less than pleased at this person's "I'm all right Jack" attitude.

I was in fact one of the people in that queue. I had found a quiet table in the room and placed my book upon it while I went to order my meal. By the time I got back to the table two girls had not only taken my table, they had hidden my book under a coat as well! There were other tables available so I simply asked them to find and return my book and then sat down elsewhere. That said, I did wonder at their thoughtless attitude and how karma would no doubt come back and bite them some time in the future.

In each and every normal day to day activity there are choices which we all make in the ways in which we act. We selectively choose, be it at a conscious or a subconscious level, whether we put ourselves first or show a more generous and respectful spirit to others. We choose whether or not to give up our seats on trains or busses to other less able people, we choose to grab our own case off a luggage carousel and walk away or whether to help another person next to us, we choose whether or not to allow a person with one item to move in front of us at the super market checkout.

These are just a few examples of the different ways in which our general attitude towards our fellow human beings is displayed. My dad always said that if you strive to never do someone a bad turn and always try to do them a good turn then you can't go far wrong. If we all acted with this focus in mind there would be a lot of good karma going around.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis mp3 downloads for happiness and well-being.

P.S. Find out how you can create your own good karma with hypnosis; grab a free hypnosis download from my website now.