I’ve recently come to the realisation that while it’s all very well to worry about everyone else, there’s only so long you can do it for, before your own health comes crashing down around you. Tired, sick, weight gain, poor food choices, and, I’m the first to admit it, grumpier than ever. It’s not good for you OR the people you love. So why do we do it to ourselves?
So many of us spend our day running around after the people in our lives, making sure their needs are met, with little thought to our own happiness, health and sanity.
Long term, it’s simply not possible to run on empty. You can do it for awhile, sure, but eventually, your body (or mind) start to give up and you start getting sick, run down, stressed, depressed or even worse. You’re no good to anyone like that, take a break!!
My son came home from school last year talking about filling other people’s buckets, and how you have to fill your own bucket before you can fill anyone else’s bucket. And how you should be a bucket filler, not a bucket tipper. He was right, how can you fully care for someone else, if you don’t care for yourself? Life skills from a 7 year old!!
Self care is not something to feel guilty about. It is not selfish, nor is it weak to look after yourself, in fact, many would say it is a strength to put yourself first for once.
What is self care
to you?
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Written by Nikki Bollen