Prioritizing Self-Care Amid Life’s Demands
In the midst of overwhelming responsibilities, self-care is often the first thing that gets neglected. The thing I tend to neglect the most is eating and drinking water. 😧 I just sit at my desk and work all day, sometimes not even stopping for a lunch break. 🤦
If you do this for too long things start falling apart, voices get raised, feelings get hurt, resentments grow, and relationships suffer.
There’s an old airline standard of putting your own oxygen mask on first before helping anyone else with theirs. Some of us forget this when it comes to our own lives.
We spend so much time helping others, lifting other things as more important than us, and depleting our personal resources and then wonder why we feel lost, used, and unimportant.
Being Selfish Isn’t Selfish
There is a difference between selfishness and being selfish.
Selfishness is about not caring for others. These are the people who take and take without any concern or second thought about anyone else. They usually make life around them a living hell.
These are people who have been called narcissists, Karens, and psychopaths. They are only looking out for number one and screw what might be happening for everyone else. They have NO boundaries and don’t want them! They are usually the ones who are telling others that they are BEING selfish.
But BEING selfish is about preserving and renewing your resources and energy so that you can continue to be there for those you care about. People who are BEING selfish are setting boundaries so that they can remain calm and regulated so that they can show up in true times of need.
It is vital that you be a little selfish and take care of YOU. You show up better when you’ve had enough rest, food, and water.
But this looks different for everyone. Yes, there are some things that generically work for most folks, like good food, meditation/quiet time, exercise, etc. But nothing is 100% for everyone.
Discovering What Self-Care Means for You
It’s important to find out what works for you. I’ve seen many different ways that people take time for themselves to rest their minds, bodies, and souls. One lady I knew spent every Wednesday as a quiet day in which she didn’t speak a word all day. Another woman I know uses boxing as her way to relax. And another woman goes outside each day at the same time and sacred screams for two minutes.
These different ways may not look relaxing or restful to you, but they work for them. These activities center them in mind and spirit.
It doesn’t take long, but if you look at the examples I gave, you’ll see that each of them had their moments scheduled. One was a specific day each week, one was an hour session in the gym, and one was just 2 minutes each day.
They specified time and made the effort to take care of themselves, even in their busy lives of work, family, and friends.
What could you do for yourself in 5 minutes?
When would you implement that during your day?
It could be as simple as taking intentional breaths as you’re walking to your car and thinking about your intention for the day. It could be sneaking off to the bathroom for a few minutes, closing the door, and turning out the light in order to reset the day.
Start Small: Schedule Time for Self-Care
Take a moment to journal about what makes you feel calm, connected, and refreshed. Then put the time it takes to do those things next to each item. Pick one or two of the quick ones and start to schedule them into your day. Do one in the morning and one in the evening and see how your week goes. I’ll bet you start to see an improvement in how overwhelmed you feel.
Your well-being is your greatest resource, and prioritizing self-care ensures you have the energy and clarity to meet life’s demands with grace. Start small, but start today – even five minutes can make a world of difference. Remember, when you take care of yourself, you show up stronger for the people and dreams that matter most.
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