Being in school, working an overnight job, shopping, cleaning, taking care of a pet, paying bills, going out, trying to find time to sleep, driving, making phone calls, doing chores, folding laundry, running errands; these are many of the adult world things that although can be fun are tiring. What is the point of me listing all of the things in my life that I do as an adult? It is that though all of this, I am forgetting to mentally and physically take care of my well being at times, which simply is not good.

Self-care is crucial in life, which I sometimes find myself forgetting to do not only because of my busy life but because of trying to help and interact with others on a daily basis. We sometimes get so caught up in helping others that we forget to help ourselves, and that can cause us to get tired, irritable, drained, and even mean.

We need to rest, sleep, relax, and even take a day to just say "f*ck it" and do nothing. I find myself always making plans with people when I do not even want to go. I am not suggesting one blow of his/her friends but if you need a day, take it.Your friends and family are vital aspects in your life but sometimes we need a day to stay in bed and simply do nothing.

I find that as I age I get more stressed about different things that I never thought I would. My most recent example is picking a vacuum for my apartment! On more serious issues though, I am constantly worrying about the future and making times for others. Worrying if I can say from experience simply does nothing, which is why it is important to take a step back, breathe, and take care of yourself.

It is okay to make mistakes. It is okay to take a break for a day from others if you need some "you" time. It is okay to just be human. It is okay to get stressed and give a good cry when needed but you have to remember that in the end, nothing is worth making yourself miserable and stressed over to the point where you feel ill, tired, and depressed. Trust me, I KNOW.

Taking care of yourself first before anyone else is vital simply because it is your life and I am sure you want to live it in the most peaceful way possible. Life would be miserable without self-care and self-love. The most important person you need to take care of in the world first and foremost is YOU, YOURSELF, AND AGAIN YOU. How can you help others if you basically feel like crap?

When you feel down, remember that it is okay to feel down, But remember that you can pick yourself back up, especially when you have tactics to take care of yourself.

Before you let the pressures of friends, family, and society take a burden on you, you have to remember to let yourself be free to be yourself and to feel okay. If you need to take care of yourself before committing to others, do it.

Self-care tactics include going for a walk, writing, taking a nap, petting a dog, working out, eating right, watching TV, reading, baking, running, dancing, singing, drawing, painting, knitting, scrap booking, cooking, getting your hair done, taking a shower; the list is endless.

Remember that YOU come before OTHERS; take care of yourself.