You matter

“When we truly are putting others first, we cannot but feel at peace with ourselves.” – Eknath Easwaran

We’ve always been taught to take care of others and put them first. However, what I’ve realized after spending the last couples years of my life taking care of other people and worrying about their feelings before mine is that living by this mantra has actually held me back from reaching my full potential. Worrying if someone would think I’m too ambitious, or if their feelings would be hurt because of my success and their failure has made me question decisions that in turn would have led me to much further places.

It’s time for people to start putting their own personal health, physical and mental, before others. It’s okay to say “no” or ask for a raincheck when you’re just not feeling up to a day out. It’s okay to take instead of always giving. Seriously, stop feeling guilty.

A very easy way to make sure that you’re focusing on your own personal health is by taking an hour to evaluate and recap each day. Ask yourself, what are the things I was able to accomplish today? What do I still need to check off my to-do list? What can I do to make myself better?

To make things easier for you, I’m going to list off just a couple of easy ways to prioritize your health.

• Put on a facemask
• Get a manicure and pedicure
• Take a nap
• Read a book you’ve been putting off
• Write a blog
• Use positive language/self talk
• Set goals for yourself  

Once you get in the habit of putting your personal health first, you’ll be able to give so much more to the people around you.