When you first read the title of this blog, for most of us, it may invoke an automatic reaction of “That’s nuts of me, how selfish!”
It’s no secret that most good hard-working people put themselves last. They put their families, pets, work, friends, associations, and community first. By the time they crawl into bed at night, they’re exhausted. Before they know it, the next day bell rings and the merry-go-round starts all over again. This pattern happens every day including weekends. Everyone and everything are always pushed to the front of the line.
Today, in this MDC blog, I want to give you permission to put yourself first! Permission to do this every single day. Why? Because in a world where selflessness is praised, it’s time to give yourself permission to prioritize self-care and recharge your batteries. You are the center of so many people’s lives that it is most important for you to be fueled up. Discover how a few moments each day can have a transformative impact on your well-being and attract positive outcomes into your life.
Before we continue, I’m not saying to abandon anyone or thing that needs your immediate attention. What I’m suggesting is that you secure a block of time daily to give yourself an opportunity to recharge and put yourself first! Deliberately fill yourself with gratitude and positive energy. Let’s examine how someone as busy as you can do this effectively.
1. Plan it: Carve Out Time for You
Creating dedicated pockets of time for self-care is essential. Whether it’s five, ten, or fifteen minutes, mark it in your calendar and commit to it. These moments will replenish your energy and make you feel wonderful.
2. Embrace the Power of Small Moments
Even in a short span of time, you can do activities that bring you joy and replenish your spirit.
Let’s look at a time block of 5 minutes. In this small yet impactful time, you can:
- Practice mindfulness by disconnecting from electronics, closing your eyes, and focusing on something or someone that brings you happiness. Focus on something/someone that truly makes you happy.
- Connect with nature, find a serene spot, and embrace the present moment. Feel the universe’s positive energy surrounding you and appreciate it. Be in the NOW, awake, aware, and conscious of loving yourself. Shut your eyes and feel it. You deserve it!
- Write in your journal about the small, medium, and large miracles that you recently experienced. Smile as you recall them and how special they were to you.
- Cultivate gratitude for your loved ones, your opportunities, and your abundant life. We all live under the same blue dome in a cornucopia of opportunities.
- Indulge in a few pages of a book you’re truly enjoying or call someone who needs to hear how special they are to you. Unconditionally, let them know how special they are.
- Delight in nostalgic moments by looking at pictures of your loved ones (past + present) and allowing yourself to smile.
3. Prioritize Essentials, Drop the Non-Essentials
Streamline your life by focusing on the essentials that propel you forward. A non-essential is something you spend time on that does not positively give back to you.
Non-essential Examples:
- Identify energy vampires and detach yourself from draining relationships.
- Stacks of stuff you haven’t looked at for months. Stop moving the piles around – just shred them and dump it.
- Release outdated habits that no longer serve you. Let them go. It’s your past, don’t bring it forward.
- Redirect your efforts from individuals who are resistant to change and invest that energy in your personal growth. It’s not easy but it’s time to stop and focus that effort on yourself.
- Resist the urge to take on more work or volunteer commitments. Stop it, you already do enough!
- Go to bed at the correct time to ensure you can get enough sleep (7+ hours) to wake up filled with energy.
Take a moment to evaluate your daily routines and habits. Keep what is essential and eliminate the rest. Create a VSE to change or eliminate it from your daily routine. Remember it takes 12-18 months to create a new permanent habit.
4. Send a powerful message to the Universe
By putting yourself first, you send a clear message of self-love, self-respect, and belief in yourself. This message becomes a magnet for positive outcomes. Help the universe bring to you all the positive outcomes you want in your life. You are worth it!
In conclusion, you must take a few moments to examine your daily routines and habits. Keep the essentials and drop the rest. Make a list of things that make you feel great and keep that list visible. The universe will give you plenty of opportunities to bring them into your reality. Most of the people reading this will know that I’m sharing the truth with them. The bottom line to everything that I just wrote can happen by answering the following question: How badly do you want to put yourself first? To change your present behavior, it will take intense focus and commitment. I believe in you, and I know if you put your mind, body, and spirit into it before you know it the calendar will catch up to your internal movie. Make your movie a great love story.
Related: The Problem With Invisible Leaders