Sometimes, it is so hard to put yourself first when you are in a whirlwind of stress. Situations get the best of you, and you often find yourself constantly thinking about other people or other things. From my own personal experience, I can tell you that this does not lead to anything good. It is so important to take time each day to look after yourself and your own well being before putting others first.
Being a caring person, I am always concerned about others. I usually put their needs before mine, because I feel responsible for trying to lift their spirits when they are in a tough situation. No matter what is going on in my own life, my mind is constantly racing around how other people are feeling. This often distracts me from my own thoughts and makes the situations that I have to face personally build up. Everything piles up little by little and eventually things get out of control. I feel suffocated in my own body.
Stress has always been something that has taken over my life, as I’m sure it does for many other people. When this gets into my head, I often find it difficult to focus on everyday tasks. When this spirals out of control, so does my way of taking care of myself. I am so wrapped up in the idea that I have so many things to get done that I don’t take a quick breather to recollect myself and make a plan. Instead, I jump into things completely unorganized and nothing gets done in a timely manner. The tasks will keep piling up and my mental and physical health will keep declining. If I don’t take some time to relax, nothing will ever get better. It is important to put the jobs off for a few hours so I can apply my full potential when I return to them.
You can’t help others if you can’t help yourself. Don’t forget to put yourself first sometimes. You deserve to be taken care of just as much as everybody else. When you take care of yourself, you will feel better and ultimately be able to help others around you without feeling constantly drained. It is okay to care for others, but make sure you are well enough to do that. You can’t put your full potential into things if you don’t feel 100%.
My advice to you is to take at least an hour each day to do something that makes you happy. Catch up on a TV show, read a book, take a bubble bath, talk with a friend, even take a nap if that is what you need. There is nothing in this world that is going to help you if you don’t even help yourself. So pick up that book, lay down on the couch, do whatever it takes for you to recharge. It may not make a difference right away, but it will eventually. Keep at it and don’t forget to think about yourself for just a short while. It is not a bad thing.
