Put Yourself First
Growing up, I cared more about other people’s feelings and needs above my own.
While it’s good in moderation, not meeting your own necessities leads to a life of pain. I always felt left out and uncared for, and that’s because I never thought about what I needed to be happy.
It wasn’t until I started putting myself first that I realized caring for yourself is just as important as helping your neighbor. Your mental health and physical setbacks deserve to be noticed. If you can’t help yourself, can you truly help other people to the fullest extent?
Over the years, I’ve learned countless lessons from hardships and setbacks. I thought I’d share my little drops of wisdom with all of you.
Meeting your basic needs first isn’t selfish.
Read that again… Your mental and physical health play a crucial part in daily life. Saying no to a hangout or a favor doesn’t mean you’re selfish, it means you’re meeting your basic needs. This took me such a long time to learn, and honestly, I still struggle with this today. You shouldn’t feel guilty saying no to plans or favors, especially if you aren’t okay.
Your sanity is worth more than a paycheck.
Being a workaholic, this is a hard one to remember. It’s okay to have a day off from work—especially if it’s a part-time job. Sometimes it’s hard for me not to overload myself with responsibilities, and the overwhelming responsibilities will shut me down for days. I’ll accomplish nothing; the only thing I’ll do is sit in the dark unable to make one coherent thought. Not a fun experience, if I do say so myself.
Taking a break makes you more efficient.
Breaks are NEEDED! Trust me, I’m preaching to myself right now. Working on something for 15 hours straight doesn’t mean it will be good. Stepping back and coming back to a project with fresh eyes shows you mistakes you didn’t know were there. Also, it’s important to still eat, drink and go to the bathroom no matter how busy you are. Depriving yourself of basic needs makes it even harder.
Remember: you aren’t superhuman. Say no to plans and take a nap. It’s okay not to offer every ounce of your energy to someone or something.
Sincerely, Abbey
Photography: Abbey C.