It’s OK to Love Yourself (Actually It’s Essential!)
On February 14th, we are encouraged to express love for that special someone. While it’s wonderful to have a day dedicated to showing love and appreciation for others, there’s no designated day to acknowledge the most important relationship of all – the one you have with yourself.
In the hustle and bustle of taking care of others, it’s easy to forget the importance of showing love and care for yourself. It’s time for a change! Be selfish to be selfless. Sounds pretty… selfish.
What if, in order to fully help and appreciate others, you first have to appreciate and take care of yourself? You can’t give what you don’t have: that’s why you would never take dead batteries and put them into a flashlight, expecting it to light up. Yet sometimes, you will drain yourself – your battery – then put yourself into conversations, relationships and work and expect to magically shine.
It doesn’t work that way! Prioritizing self-care is essential. That’s why flight attendants ask you to put on your oxygen mask first. If you run out of oxygen, you won’t be able to help anyone else with their mask. The same applies in life.
Choosing to help and care for others is a wonderful character trait. However, if you’re not showing yourself love and attention, not only will you end up getting burnt out, you will soon feel resentment, bitterness, anger and frustration. Finding harmony between what others want from you and what you need to do for yourself is essential to finding inner peace.
Keep rejuvenating and recharging your battery by reading, sleeping, eating healthy, listening to music, exercising, deep breathing, meditation, calling a friend – find what brings you joy. The happier, healthier and more self-fulfilled you feel, the more energy you will have to support those who matter most to you.
In the midst of your mom and caregiving journey, always remember that your well-being matters. Repeat, “I am deserving of love, care and attention. I matter! I am important!”
Sara Westbrook is a professional speaker and creator of UPower Inc, offering keynotes, presentations and workshops on ‘Emotions Change Choices’ to audiences ages 4 -100. She can be found at sarawestbrook.com or on Instagram @iamsarawestbrook.
