Whether you are a parent or not, most people feel guilty for thinking of themselves first. The concept of putting yourself as your first priority may be a difficult one, but it’s one that you absolutely should be doing. Having a large family, a close circle of friends you’d do anything for and a demanding job can often see you putting your own health and happiness on the back burner in favor of everyone else’s needs. The problem with doing this is that one day you’re going to forget that you are of great importance – which is not going to do.
Putting yourself first doesn’t make you a selfish person, it’s a sign of self-awareness. (Being aware of your needs, makes you more aware of other people’s needs.) Being aware of your own thoughts, feelings and needs is as important day to day as heading to work to earn enough to pay the bills. Your feelings and opinions matter, and if you don’t agree with that then there is a lot more going on inside your head than feeling guilty for buying yourself something at the local mall. There are many ways that you can put yourself first, and I’ve got some ideas below:
Learn to Say No. If you find it impossible to turn people down when you do them a favour, then you need to re-evaluate your worth. It’s a lovely idea, to be at the beck and call of the people that you love. The thing is, that’s a fast way to be taken advantage of. Take the time to say no sometimes, and you’ll find that the people who believe you are worthy of their friendship won’t mind.
Nourish Yourself. Nourish yourself, your body and your life. Daily Take a moment out of every day – even half an hour – to do something that makes you feel beautiful and sacred. A treatment at tallmanmedicalspa.com or a long, hot soak in a bubble bath can do the trick. Your body is supporting you through every single day, it is only fair that you take the time to look after it in return.
Prioritise You. Take time for yourself on a regular basis. Have you been daydreaming about a day out just yourself to go window shopping and find a new book to read is just a daydream? Unless you make the point of taking yourself out there, it won’t get done. Wander around the shops at your own leisure can make you just as happy as anything else, but you have to prioritize your time around work to fit that in.
Sleep. One of the biggest pleasures in life is to sleep through the night in a huge, comfortable bed and wake up when your body naturally demands it of you. Book yourself into a nearby luxury hotel for the night, and make a point of an early night. You wouldn’t believe how reinvigorated you could feel simply by getting a decent night of sleep.
It isn’t always easy to put yourself first, but you must remember that you are a person of importance and if you don’t take a few moments a day to be selfish and enjoy making yourself happy, you’ll never manage to do anything just for you.
Be well,
Sally
P.S. Recalibrating your life and getting yourself on your priority list can be difficult, so I want to help! Book your 90 minute 1:1 Soul and Strategy session with me, I am only offering these until the beginning of 2018. And if you are curious about coaching but not sure what is right for you, schedule a free discovery session and we can talk more about it!
**This is a collaborative post, that contains affiliate links.**
