Putting yourself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else so you can say yes to yourself.
We have all heard the instructions of an airline attendant reminding us to put our oxygen mask on before we help anyone else with theirs. This is a great metaphor demonstrating the importance for self-care. You can’t help others by ignoring your needs if you’re depleted of oxygen.
When it comes to placing responsibility such as family, work, home, community, etc., we often put self-care on the back burner. We therefore become overwhelmed, exhausted, or even sick and suddenly don’t have the energy to care for the people who count on us. That’s when we realize we haven’t been getting the oxygen we need to sustain ourselves. That’s when we begin to understand that taking care of ourselves is neither selfish nor self-indulgent; it’s a necessity.
Prioritize “Me” time!
To put yourself first on your list of priorities, it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to yourself. For many of us, there is always something we feel we could or should be doing. Therefore, it helps to remember the oxygen metaphor. Remember, self-care doesn’t have to be composed of time-consuming acts. The best prescription for taking care of yourself is performing small daily rituals, such as taking a half-hour at the beginning and or end of the day to meditate, exercise, journal, read, or just be. Of course, remember to breathe. You might also transform the occasional daily shower or bath into a half-hour self-pampering session.
Whatever you decide — making some small gesture of putting yourself first every day — will pay off for you and the ones you love. The oxygen you need is all around you; sometimes, you must be reminded to breathe.
“Yesterday, I was clever and wanted to change the world, but today I‘m wise, so I want to change myself.” ~ Romy
Make kindness a habit.
To Your Success,
Peak Performance Coach
(858) 587-0422