Taking Time For Yourself Is NOT Selfish
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Taking Time For Your Mental Health Does Not Mean You Deserve To Be Loved Any Less

With the right people, working on yourself doesn't harm your relationships.

1102
Taking Time For Your Mental Health Does Not Mean You Deserve To Be Loved Any Less

When it comes to most things in life, I do not find much difficulty in making a plan and sticking with it. Whether it be for meal prepping, weekly scheduling, or anything of that nature, I tend to put my needs at the forefront and make tangible plans that I know will set me up for success. Yet, when it comes to family and friends, I have a very difficult time putting my own needs at the forefront. That is not to say that your own needs should always come before those you care about, but when you begin to push yourself aside for the sake of other things, it becomes very difficult to regulate your time and emotions. When my life begins to feel off-balance, I find myself having to put in great amounts of added effort to get it back on track.

When it comes to the ones that I care about most, I have a very difficult time saying no to them. If people present plans that don't ideally fit into my schedule, I will likely rework my entire schedule so that I never feel like I am disappointing them. There are times where I am not always in the mood to go out or to even leave my apartment. In the midst of the craziness that is 2020, I have found myself with very little downtime to spare. When I am able to find it, I will usually do my best to work in plans, even if I am completely exhausted.

Though it is a challenging concept to wrap my mind around, I am coming to the realization that taking time for yourself does not mean you will be any less loved by the people in your life.

The right group of friends and your family will always be there to support you, even if you need to take some time to work on yourself. In the same sense, in order for these relationships to be maintained, it is just as important on your part to communicate effectively with the people you care about. There is no shame in explaining that you need to take some time to work on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

I am learning that I would rather spend a few days at home relaxing than constantly forcing myself to stay on the go, as I usually end up becoming drained and unmotivated. The more frequently this happens, the more difficult I find it to work on achieving my long term goals, and I am not engaging in my relationships to my fullest potential. Yet, with the proper amount of trust and communication between friends and family, some time alone should not do your relationships any harm.

Even if you cannot be as present in a person's life as you want to be at the moment, they will not love you any less. Those that you care about care for you as well, and they want to see you succeed. It is important that we take time to take care of our own health because if we cannot be the best version of ourselves for ourselves, we cannot be the best for the ones we care about most.

Report this Content
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70777
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132390
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments