3 Ways to Gently Put Yourself First
By Genevieve Cunningham
So many times in life, we put ourselves dead last. When it comes to work, we give everything -- time, energy, and extra effort. When it comes to family, we exhaust our personal resources to care for our loved ones. And when it comes to ourselves, everything gets placed on the back-burner -- especially our health. But is this a good idea? Not likely. If you're ready to make yourself a priority, take a look at these ways to gently start the process of self-love and self-care.
Schedule Self-Care
If you're going to make time for yourself, put it on your schedule. This makes it real, kind of like a meeting or other engagement. And once you put it on your schedule, treat just like you would treat anything else and don't schedule anything on top of it. Once you get good at self-care, you can probably cut back on scheduling, but in the beginning, it will be a lifesaver in sticking with your personal care.
Take Time Off
Don't give all your time to work. Yes, it's important. Yes, it's necessary. But it's not everything. If you have days to take, take them. Rest, travel, or do whatever suits you. Taking days off helps you relax and decompress and lower stress. By skipping your days off, you'll only be heightening your risk of burnout and decreasing your chance for long-term good health.
Spend Money
You're going to have to do it. You're going to feel guilty. You're going to think that you should be spending money on your kids or spouse or almost anything else except for yourself, but you're really going to have spend money on you. How? Spend money to go to the doctor for checkups. Spend money on supportive shoes. Spend money on massages or babysitters when you need to relieve stress and decompress. It will feel awkward at first, but the more you make yourself a priority, the easier it will be to see the value in taking care of your own well-being.
It's time. You've been neglecting yourself for too long. Use these tips to put yourself first and take care of yourself for a change. With time, this can make huge improvements to your physical and mental well-being, and it can help you feel good about yourself and your life long into the future.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Marietta, Ga.