If You Don't Take Care of Yourself First, Nobody Else Will Either

How many times have you done for others without any regard for your own care? This seems to be pretty common, especially among women. One of the things I learned years ago and teach to others is that self-care is important. In order to help others, you have to help yourself first. That includes taking care of your emotional needs first.

I think that what is taught in many institutions is that self-sacrifice is important versus self-care. That thinking has helped create many depressed people. I'm not saying to be self-centered when taking care of you. If you are in a constant state of trying to meet the needs of others, eventually that will wear you down mentally and emotionally. Your attitude ultimately becomes more pessimistic. And pessimism tends to drive people away - creating even more tension and emotional distraught.

Part of what a life coach will tell you to do is to take some time for self-care. You could go out to a spa or take a mini-vacation somewhere. That also means to leave your work and worries behind you and focus solely on taking care of yourself. That includes some pampering. I'm not talking about getting drunk either. That's not self-care.

You also need to take care of your body. That includes getting physically fit and eating right. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough. If you are not physically fit, then you may not have enough energy to build up reserves to deal with everyday life and be happy. Find a fitness program that fits you. That includes a daily walk in the park or your neighborhood, going to a gym, swimming, biking, playing sports, running, martial arts, and so forth.

Eliminate stress, not just reduce it. If your work is not tolerable for you, then it may be time to find some other line of work. Work should not be a sacrifice. In fact, work can bring you joy if you are doing something you enjoy doing with purpose and passion. Tolerate nothing.

Find people who share a common bond. Those people should be ones that also enjoy life and take care of themselves first. By working together, you help each other in building up super reserves. Super reserves help you to become more attractive due to the optimistic attitude that is created. You'll be able to tolerate more too.

Once you are able to build your reserves and become more attractive to others, then you'll be able to go out and show others how they can do the same. It's not about making large changes for the individual, but it's about helping the person realize that small things can bring them meaning. Help them find that meaning by giving them something to do that means something.

You have the power to make the changes necessary in your life and affect the lives of others, profoundly. That's what the great leaders were able to do in their own lives and so should you. But it starts by taking care of yourself first.

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Helping You to a Higher Level of Performance and Fitness by Training the Mind and Body

Bob Choat, MS, CH.t., CTNLP, NASM-CPT does Peak Performance Coaching & Training and also works as personal trainer in Southern California. His training in hypnosis, psychology, and fitness enables him to best help in both mind and body towards complete fitness. He has a Masters in Psychology and degrees in business and leadership. He also completed leadership training from Rapport Leadership International and the U.S. Marines.

He has multiple blackbelts in the martial arts as well as being a full instructor in Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali.

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