7 Reasons Why Putting Yourself First Is Better For Everyone

As Featured in Thought Catalog - Click Here or Read Below!

△ 1. You become more giving.

When your mind, body, and soul feel full and content, you end up expecting and wanting less of others. You have filled up your own cup so that it’s full and ready to give to the next person who needs it.


Let’s say your boyfriend is going to be home late after a long and stressful day at work. You’ve spent the evening making your favorite dinner and watching reruns of your fave TV shows. You’ve had plenty of time to put your own stressful day behind you.

Then the BF walks in and he’s grumpy. Work didn’t go well. He’s hungry and wants you to make him a snack because he just wants to collapse on the couch and play video games.

It may seem contradictory but putting yourself first can work wonders in your relationships.

△ 2. Your happiness is contagious.
This saying is a cliché because it’s so true. When you’re around someone who is a Debbie Downer those negative those feelings will start to rub off on you.

The good news is that the same goes for positivity. When you make the time to decompress and recharge, others will feed off those vibes and adjust their moods accordingly.

△ 3. You will motivate others.
When you focus on your self-care, you will start to feel more energized. You will inspire yourself and start thinking of dreams and goals that you want to accomplish. You’ll start to inspire those around you to do the same.

When others see you accomplishing your goals – they’ll start to think maybe they can too. Your self-care can have quite the ripple effect!

△ 4. You have more energy.
An important aspect of self-care is keeping yourself healthy – mind, body, and soul. You’ll have more energy for all you set to accomplish! No more excuses as to why you can’t keep up!

△ 5. You’ll be more forgiving.
When you take time for yourself, you exercise more patience and learn that everything has perspective—one which you can more easily keep in check with reality. Taking time for yourself will make you more understanding when life throws its lemons at you. It’s up to you to make it a great batch of lemonade.

△ 6. You pace yourself to avoid burnout.
You push through it all. You stay determined to be that person that can handle everything on her own. Burnout is a real thing. Either you get physically sick or you lash out and feel like totally throwing in the towel because it’s too much.

Don’t let this happen. Love yourself enough to take time for YOU.

△ 7. You will be an inspiration.
When you’ve got it all together, people notice. They’ll think: “How does she do it all and without complaint?”

And you’ll know the answer is “selfish” and they might not understand. They might judge you if they knew you left the kids with dad on Saturday so you could go see a movie by yourself. But little do they know, they’ll want what you have, and if you tell them your secret – it might just inspire them to do the same.

Make being selfish a priority in 2019-you owe it to yourself.

Be (the) Present this December

If you’re anything like me you either vow to be on top of it all and as ahead of the hustle and bustle as possible or....you are the hustle and bustle!
December seems to provoke a time of stress and the expectation of being the best yet. But what if we decide to intentially take pause and take a step back from the busy-ness of the holidays to think about how to make it a season that we will remember. Purposely remember it. Savor it. Memorialize it.
As much as I hate to admit it, it's a lot easier to say, "Be present!" than it is to actually do it. This year I've decided to come up with a (hopefully) plan to make the most of this month, and not just for purpose of the holiday season.
Create a December to Remember with the Be Present Plan
△1: Live each moment in the present. During the holiday season, there is so much going on. There are holiday gatherings to attend, gifts to purchase, cards to mail and more. We tend to get lost and forget that the season is about - giving to others and spending time with those you love. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the chaos of the season, take a deep breath and pay attention to the present moment. If you take a moment to pay attention to what's going on around you, you'll be much more likely to remember it long after the season has passed.
△ 2: Carry out your favorite traditions. Are there things you love to do every year? Are there traditions you miss from when you were younger that you can keep alive? Sticking to the traditions to love is one way to make sure your holiday season will be more memorable. Embracing traditions you know and love really can help to make your holiday more memorable.
△ 3: Be open to new experiences and do something you've never done before. Trying something new -- regardless of what you're celebrating -- is a great way to make a moment memorable. When we do the same thing over and over again, we're a lot less likely to remember it. So if you really want to up your being present game, open your mind to new ideas and don't be afraid to break away from the things you've always done. You never know -- you might just create a brand new tradition for yourself!
△ 4: Capture your moments but also find balance by putting the phone cameras down and enjoy seeing the memories outside of the lens. We fall into the trap of trying to capture moments that are “post worthy” so much that we miss the importance of those moments as they are happening. Really think about what you want to remember this December and be sure capture it on camera and in your memory.
△ 5:  Take the time this December to write about the moments that matter most to you. When rushing around it will be hard to pause and write down the memories you're experiencing, but, believe me, you'll be happy if you take the time to do it. Even if you don't have a ton of free time, set aside a few minutes at the end of every day this month and write about what you've experienced. Write about the things that meant the most to you and strive to focus on the positive things about the holiday season. If you take the time to write it down now, you'll look back in years to come and smile at the memories.
I really, really want to stick to this plan and embrace the moments I'm experiencing. I want to live in the now and be completely present. I am really going to try to live in the moments this December and, hopefully, it will be a December I’ll never forget.