3 Reasons Why It Is Imperative to Begin Your Self-Care Regiment.....NOW!!!
Look, life happens! There are the kids and there's the spouse. There's school and then the job. There's family and then there are friends... there are your community commitments, then there is your church....the list can go on! But where do you fall on that list of important people? At some point in time, it will be required of you to PUSH PAUSE and focus on YOU. Let it be by choice, not due to an unfortunate mishap. Here are a few reasons why your self-care should take precedence. 1) If you don't do it, no one else will! You are so worth it! Growing up in the West Indies, I witnessed so many women give tirelessly of themselves for the sake of their spouses, children and other family members. If that meant staying in an unhealthy relationship for the sake of the children or for the sake of "appearing to have it all together"- they did it.... If that meant saying YES when they really wanted to say NO- they did it. I am by no means suggesting sacrifices are not to be made. However, I am strongly proposing that at some point, it is essential to understand that taking care of your needs are a requirement, not an option to be crossed out or placed at the bottom of the list. We teach people how to treat us. If we consistently neglect to love and nurture ourselves how can we possibly expect for others to put forth the effort in doing such for us?! The lovely Susan Taylor so eloquently stated, "The generation of women before us were taught the consequences of selfishness. Let ours be the first to fully understand the [negative] consequences of self-neglect." YOUR SANITY DEPENDS ON IT!!!! 2) You can't pour anything from an empty cup. Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, it takes a toll on us, both mentally and physically. It impacts our ability to be fully present with those we say we love so much. Unfortunately, some individuals feel as though constant fatigue equates effectiveness- it does not! Constant fatigue and unwarranted exhaustion is called stress. Constant fatigue equates health problems. It increases the likelihood of poor communication and interaction in the relationships most meaningful to us. Take the time to listen to your own voice, your own soul. Find time to fill YOUR cup so that you are equipped enough to pour into others. 3) To find clarity and balance. Depok Chopra stated, "The mind is like water. When it's turbulent, it's difficult to see. When it's calm everything becomes clear. Taking a moment to PUSH PAUSE for some downtime each day will become your lifesaving practice. The same level of devotion we give others, we deserve to give ourselves. Finding that "piece of peace" throughout the day allows for self-reflection, introspection and more importantly it provides us an opportunity to reboot. Though this may seem so minuscule, it can provide the clarity and wherewithal needed to eventually put you on the right track to finally living the life you've long desired. Moral of the story: Take a moment to PUSH PAUSE and come with us to Costa Rica this November. ~Cara
