It’s Okay to Be Selfish

What do you do to take time out of your busy week?

If you’re anything like me, you are constantly being pulled in many directions.

Don’t get me wrong if my days were not filled with sport runs, school lunches, baths, meltdowns, meal preps I honestly would miss the chaos.

I guess you can say my shoulders sometimes feel tight, achy, heavy.

I am a survivor, I am a mom, sister, friend, daughter, caregiver and a great helper.

I feel I carry others’ weight plus mine.

To Be or Not to Be Selfish?

I was reading this article a few months back I came across and it stated “Be a selfish mom.”

I mean it caught my eye right off the bat, selfish, how dare we ever think that!

I never put myself first. I actually find it hard to forget “I” exists.

Let me ask you this, do you feel that your parenthood exists, you know you’re a parent fulfilling the needs of these little hands.

But did you lose yourself somewhere down the road?

When it is ok to be selfish

When we hear the word “selfish” what comes to mind?

It often sparks negative connotations at first.

We think self-centered, self-serving, self-involved.

And we’resupposed to avoid thinking only of “me and my interests,” right?

Sometimes being “selfish” isn’t a bad thing.

There are times when being selfish is the right thing to do for your health and well-being.

These are also times when taking care of yourself is necessary, because we have all heard “If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of anyone else.”

Rest

If you’ve been working late and skipping sleep, it’s time to find some work-life balance.

And the next time you choose to go home and sleep instead of grabbing drinks with friends, that’s OK!

If that’s called selfish, it’s the kind you want to be.

It’s the kind people will look up to.

You come first.

Resting doesn’t always mean sleeping, either.

Whether your brain is feeling off-balance or you have a health condition flare up, consider it a sick day and take the time off.

Anddon’t feel obligated to do the laundry since you’re at home.

Read a book in bed, binge-watch a show, or take a nap, don’t get frustrated.

Time helps heal.

Slowing down is a challenge and it may feel weird in the beginning.

When our nervous system is all out of whack it tends to make us not “relax” due to it being foreign.

Don’t neglect yourself and your health to avoid feeling selfish.

Selfishness doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

It can be good to be a little selfish to take care of your emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Don’t give up, many people focus on their entire wellbeing, when others don’t even think about it.

Take small steps, letting go of stress can decrease a number of health risks, including conditions like diabetes, cancer, and mental illnesses.

You can reduce your stress by being a little selfish now and then and practicing some good ol’ self-care.

 

This post was written by Lauren K., and published by Convenient Counseling Services.

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