Putting Yourself First!
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list everything single day and the rest will fall into place.”
Many of us believe and were taught that in order to become a “better person” we have to give more of ourselves to others, making sacrifices and putting our needs secondary. However, not making yourself a priority is keeping you from accomplishing your goals and truly living your life.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t help others or do things to support them, but that shouldn’t be your main priority.
I don’t know when or why it became common place for others to judge, criticize, and dictate how you should live your life. It’s not selfish or “bad” to make yourself a priority. In fact, it’s essential and when you take care of yourself, you will find that you have more left to help and care for others. Remember you can’t pour from an empty cup.
The reality is that there is only so much time. And when you’re giving more of yourself to others than you are giving to your goals and vision of the future, your goals and future become secondary or nonexistent and you’ve wasted your time and potential.
It takes a lot of yourself to consistently put in the work that helps you get shit done and accomplish your goals. You need energy, bandwidth, and mental clarity to wake up every day and work hard. So if you want to be your best and meet your fullest potential, maybe it’s time to start shifting your priorities. It’s ok to put your needs first and say NO to things that don’t serve you or help you towards meeting your goals.
This is hard for me. I am a people pleaser and always want to go above and beyond to help others, but at what cost? People start expecting things. The demands and energy of others can derail you if you let it. So I’ve been working on creating better boundaries and putting myself first.
Self-prioritization means you get to decide where your boundaries are and not allow others to violate them. At this point of your life, you've probably spent a lot of your time focused on other people and outside circumstances. Well, perhaps you need to take a dedicated period of time to put yourself first. You don’t need anyones permission. You deserve the life you want and not one dictated by someone or something else. Now’s your chance.
How can you start to make yourself and goals a priority?