Neglecting our own well-being can have serious consequences, including burnout, stress, and diminished mental and physical health. And so, by prioritizing ourselves, we can become more fulfilled in all aspects of life. In this article, we’ll explore ten practical ways you can start prioritizing yourself today.
List Your Priorities
You cannot prioritize yourself if you don’t know what matters to you. You can’t make important things happen if you don’t spend a bit of time figuring out what you need and why you need it.
You should sit and list all the most important things that matter to you – and not to you plus your family or your partner (although there may be some overlap). What do you need to feel nourished, accomplished, and happy? Who are you, and what are your biggest desires?
This is a bit like a bucket list, but it takes time to acknowledge your biggest priorities in life.
Make “You” Time
It’s very hard to make time for just you. Work, kids, families, social commitments, and chores take up such big blocks of life. You might not be able to remember when you last had an unscheduled hour or some free time to be yourself. Try to make some.
You can then spend this time however you want to. Do you want just to read a book? Lie in the bath? Go for a walk? Meditate? Sit and do nothing at all? Whatever it is, be okay with it without feeling it has to be productive.
Be Kind To Yourself
Find a voice that tells you you’re doing great and that it’s okay to make a mistake once in a while. Many people create a negative and harsh inner voice; you want to delete that voice. Instead, find a voice that is warm, loving, and kind.
You need to be your own biggest supporter if you’re going to prioritize yourself. You can do this by mimicking the voice you use when you talk to somebody you love. Would you offer them warmth, affection, and reassurance? If so, do the same for yourself.
Also read: 6 Tips For Dealing With Manipulators That Actually Work
Ask For Help
Sometimes, you need somebody else to step in and do something for you because it’s too hard to do yourself. That’s fine. Be okay with that. You should be able to delegate sometimes.
Many people who don’t prioritize themselves end up trying to do everything alone because they don’t feel worthy of asking for help. Remind yourself you are worthy by avoiding this behavior.
There’s no weakness in asking people to help you when you need it.
Slow Down
Make a conscious effort to slow down. Savor things. You only need to spend a few more minutes on an activity to make it a more memorable and beautiful experience.
Taking the time for experiences sends an important message to your brain: you are important, and what you experience is important. It can also boost your mood.
Keep Growing
Growth for the sake of growth is another act of self-care. Find ways to nurture yourself and remind yourself of your value and strength. Think about skills you would like to have, and set about acquiring them.
Growth can take many shapes and forms, but it’s ultimately about expanding who you are as a person. Investing time in yourself like this again sends the message that you are important and can also make you feel better about who you are.
Take Care Of Yourself
Your mental and physical health need time and energy invested in them to feel good. What does your self-care routine look like at the moment? Take some time to think about how you can improve it.
Taking care of yourself means getting enough sleep at night, resting when you’re ill, exercising, doing things that make you feel good, and being careful with yourself.
It involves finding ways to treat yourself at times, saying “no” to late nights, and saying “yes” to sleeping in. It’s one of the best ways to boost your mood and make yourself feel like a priority.
Be Positive
Being positive isn’t always easy, but it’s an essential part of self-care because it reminds you to look at the best side of things, and it can pick you up when your mood is low.
This isn’t just about being positive about yourself – think of ways to create positive feelings around other things.
Positivity is a great way to give yourself an automatic boost and elevate your general mood. It can be good for your mental health and may make it easier to make good choices.
Feel Your Feelings
Although the above tactic is important, it’s also important to acknowledge your other emotions. You must recognize and respect when you feel angry, sad, hurt, frightened, etc. A lot of people prioritize others over themselves, trying to shut these negative feelings down before they can have an impact on other people.
Respect your feelings, acknowledge that you have a right to feel them, and act on them when necessary. Shutting them down means you aren’t acknowledging your own emotions and prevents you from acting in ways that resolve the feelings. You should therefore avoid doing this.
Spend Time With People You Love
It’s easy to spend too much time with people you feel obliged to spend time with rather than people who make you feel good about yourself.
Everybody has commitments, but make sure you aren’t pushing away people who make you feel good for the sake of spending time with others.
You must ensure you put your time and energy into social relationships that elevate you. Who makes you laugh? Who remembers your birthday? Who prioritizes you? These are the people you should devote your social energy and time to.
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