It has taken me a full two years to officially put myself first, and I must admit I am loving every minute of it! Selfish? Yes! Necessary? 100%.
As moms, wives, friends, career woman, etc we often put everyone else above our personal well being. This is an admirable quality, however if one isn't careful, it is a quality that becomes a draining part of life. No woman (or man) can give, give, give without burning out or needing to refuel. And that is OK! We are human. But burnout often leads to negative changes in our lives.
The past few months, I have started eating very healthy, and making sure I workout multiple days a week regardless of how busy I am. Sometimes that means 6 am, others 9:45 am, and some days it might be 2 pm. The point is I am making sure I do it. My life has been very busy, so you may wonder why this is so important, but the reality is, I am a happier person because of it! Allowing myself an hour a day to MYSELF for just ME, rejuvenates my spirit and allows me to give more to others! I am happier, not to mention healthier.
The past two years of life seem like a whirlwind. Lincoln's weekly appointments keep me on the go, my part time job is busy, and life as a wife and friend keep me on my toes. I often ate bad when I was tired, didn't work out because the couch sounded better, or the motivation would come and go, but recently I have been forcing the days I don't want to go and suddenly I am more joyful! I have been asked in the past few weeks if I have lost weight, what I am doing, and been told that I seem to have endless energy and my skin looks great! All reasons to keep going right? But beyond that I can admit that for the first time since having my baby boy who is now 2, I feel sexier again, am fitting into clothes better and yes ... have more energy!
I have always loved working out, but I often have given it up when the going gets hard. This time I am pushing through and making a conscience decision to put myself first. That doesn't mean I am more important than my son (which would never be true) or my husband or friends, it simply means that by giving something to myself I am able to give so much more to others because I am happier, more energetic and feeling satisfied with my life!
I encourage you to look at your own life. Do you make time for YOU? Or do you make excuses of why working on YOU needs to wait? Speaking from experience I recommend changing your pattern. If working out isn't your thing, take 30 minutes to 1 hour a day to read a book, go for a walk, sew ... whatever satisfies your soul! For me that is working out, and while I am thrilled to have lost weight and found my routine again ... this post is about so much more. When your tank is on empty you have nothing left to give, find a way to fill it by putting yourself first and you will be far more productive to the ones you love! Believe me, it WORKS!