Mini-Episode: Top 10 Reasons To Prioritize Yourself First, From Someone Who Had To Learn The Hard Way

Special Mini-Episode.

As a mother, caregiver, and someone who just likes helping others, I'm used to putting other people's needs before my own. I began to feel burnout and my health suffered as a result. When I was stressed, I would either eat more or sleep in more. I felt my energy being drained because I spent all of my time and energy on other people. I didn't realize that by giving others 100% of my attention, I was doing them a disservice by not taking care of myself.

One day this past summer, as I was lying in bed, I had a life-changing thought: "There has to be more to life than feeling drained and defeated all the time." I was so exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I can't say for sure what led to that thought, but it could be years of unhealed trauma from Ken's deployment, being his caregiver at an early age, the loss of our friends in war, the death of my mother to cancer, my father's untimely and unexpected death, and the realization of other peoples' less-than-good intentions with my heart and time that came to light.

The thought of there being more to life than just pain and suffering has always been what motivated me to get up and start making changes in my life and this time was no different.

In October, I decided to take action and began making changes in my life that I felt would help me feel better. I changed my diet, started exercising more, and drinking more water. I even had weight-loss surgery in November! Additionally, I started doing guided meditations and playing my Oculus again - something that I really enjoy. These changes have helped me immensely and I finally feel like I'm living again instead of just existing to help everyone else.

I've finally come to truly understand that taking care of myself should always be a priority. In the past, I would pour everything I had into others without taking the time to assess my own life and needs. I realized that I spent too much time trying to fix others and not enough time focusing on fixing myself. All my life, I was told that it was selfish to focus on myself and that people should be giving, but I now realize that this way of thinking is wrong.

Top 10 Reasons To Put Yourself First

• You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking time for yourself allows you to be more available for others.
• Investing in yourself develops self-confidence and builds self-esteem.
• Putting yourself first allows you to set boundaries and practice self-care.
• When you prioritize your own needs, you’re better able to focus on your goals.
• By looking after yourself, you’ll be in a better position to support others.
• You’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy when you put yourself first.
• Taking time for yourself gives you the opportunity to reflect and learn from your experiences.
• Taking care of your own needs will help you to make healthier decisions for yourself.
• Prioritizing yourself helps you to appreciate and value yourself more.

As the year comes to a close, it's the perfect time for some self-reflection. If you're feeling like your life is in shambles and you're constantly having to spread yourself thin for everyone else, it's time to make a change. It's okay to take a step back and assess what areas of your life are lacking so that you can start working on finding your happiness again. Trust me, I've been there before and I know how hard it can be. But it's so important to work on bettering yourself - even if it means making some tough changes in your life.