To the person who does it all (except take care of yourself):
Does your version of self-care involve 5 minutes alone in the bathroom? Does self-care mean sipping on coffee so you can keep your eyeballs at least half way open? Is self-care staying up until midnight in order to finish everything for your family? If you ever manage to actually take time for yourself, do you worry and feel guilty about how others surely must be suffering?
Putting yourself last does not serve you. Fighting and ignoring your feelings and emotions does not work in the long run. Saving everyone else but yourself leads to stress, frustration, anger, resentment, illness and bouts of anxiety and depression.
The habit of self-neglect will make you wonder how you got here in the first place. Being healthy is about balance. We all deserve a life that involves doing and resisting, giving and taking, and being selfish and selfless at times.
You don’t need me to share 25 ways you can take care of yourself. You already know what you want. Choose whatever mix of activities that leave you feeling balanced, happy and fulfilled. They should include things that help you love yourself more and things that get you to spend time with people who help you love yourself more.
Here’s what has to change. Refuse to ignore your inner voice any longer. Stop making excuses for why you don’t have the time. Stop putting yourself on the back burner. Start recognizing that you are just as important as everyone else.
How? Ask yourself this really difficult question…
What do I want for me?
Once you have a clearer direction, re-examine your schedule. Start scheduling your self-care time and guard that time with your life. Choose to give yourself permission to meet your own needs. Choose to honor your feelings and emotions. Choose to make self-care a top priority.
Carrie
