Is Putting Yourself First Selfish or Is it Spot On?

Do you ever feel like everyone and everything comes before you and your needs?  I believe this is a common feeling, which some of us are aware of and some of us may not be.  In our hurried and fast paced society, it seems we barely have time to breathe and finish our “to do” list let alone consider what our needs may be to feel good.  

In order to achieve overall wellbeing, it is essential to care for oneself.  If proper self care is not given it can create stress and burnout as well as the onset of physical ailments.  This is why it is the foundation of overall wellbeing.   In our wellness program, we call this Self-Responsibility and Love. We have all heard our flight attendants give our safety instructions as we prepare for a flight departure. They emphasize that in the event of an emergency, if you are traveling with young children, the parent should put their oxygen mask on first so that they are prepared to help their children. It is equally essential as you “fly” through your life that you always remember to provide yourself the needed oxygen to achieve balance and wellbeing. 

What happens if you put yourself last on the list of priorities and items to care for? Frequently, stress levels soar, health declines, relationships are challenged. Realizing that you are unique and resourceful as well as being the expert about yourself is so important. To experience you as your own best friend, and remaining faithful to yourself, especially in tough times, is essential for overall wellbeing. Once you master this dimension of wellness you have set the foundation to move to other dimensions and start to enhance your wellbeing and begin to make any needed health behavior changes.

Part of Self-Responsibility is self-acceptance. This is where there is an awareness that we all have strengths and weaknesses and a light side and a dark side. It is important to accept all of who we are and not be judgmental of our weaknesses or dark side. Being well means we accept those weaknesses and are open to change and improvement.

When your own health and wellbeing becomes a priority the following should be part of your life:

• You become an active participant in any healthcare you receive
• You get between 7-8 hours of sleep per night
• You protect yourself from any hazards that might cause poor health or wellbeing
• When you experience pain or dis-ease, you take this as an opportunity to re-evaluate your lifestyle and environment to determine a cause
• Accept that there will be times you are out-of-balance, vulnerable, or in need
• An understanding that it is possible to discover wellbeing in the midst of serious or chronic illness
• You can distinguish between accepting responsibility for a problem and blaming yourself for it
• You love yourself and other people

As you practice more Self-Responsibility and Love, you should experience more peace and balance and have improved wellbeing.  This can position you to begin to achieve any changes you desire in your life.

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