It’s easy to neglect your own health and well-being when you are busy taking care of others. But one of the best decisions you can make for yourself and those around you is to put your physical and emotional health first.
Remember the famous airplane oxygen mask analogy:
You first need to wear your own mask before you can help others with theirs.
It means that you need to be responsible for your own well-being even when you have loved ones that may need your help. To practice self-care may seem like being selfish – considering yourself before others, but it’s just an act of self-love. When you love and care for yourself, you’ll be able to love and take care of others more efficiently.
Now is the time to start making positive changes toward improving your health and holistic well-being! The good news is that it’s never too late to begin to love yourself enough to practice self-care.
Starting a healthy weight loss program can motivate you to prioritize yourself, invigorate you, and instill a sense of pride in yourself.
Note that it also requires time and patience.
Although this can be difficult for many people to do, embarking on a weight-loss journey with self-love and acceptance will help you set achievable goals and make you better equipped to deal with the little disappointments and setbacks you may face on the way.
Why Is Self-Love/Care So Important?
You cannot serve others well if you are not well yourself – it’s as simple as that. It will be impossible to do the things you intend to do if you don’t have the mental and physical resources to keep going. If not, You will only end up exhausting yourself – that is if you have not done so already. If you have people in your life that you love and want to serve, chances are that you consider their needs before yours.
But there are better ways to go about it.
Loved ones are a huge reason you should strive to take care of yourself. The best way to help and support them is to set a good example. Your loved ones also want you to be healthy. So, take good care of yourself to show them how to do the same.
What Does Putting Yourself First Mean?
It means that you:
- Practice self-care – love and respect yourself enough to prioritize your health and well-being
- Learn that by doing so, you will position yourself to better take care of the people in your life
- Create time to sleep, exercise, manage stress, and pay attention to your nutrition
It does not mean that you should:
- Be selfish – to place your needs first while putting others at a disadvantage
- Take care of yourself only
- Pay no attention to other people’s needs
We encourage you to respect and love yourself. Take good care of yourself. Understanding that prioritizing your health and wellness will enable you to properly care for your loved ones and the things you hold dear.
The Advantages of Putting Yourself First
As the saying goes, you need to fill your own cup first before you can help fill the cup of others.
Prioritizing yourself means focusing on the things that are important to you. These may be things you have to do, like taking care of your health- or activities you like to engage in because they are fun or replenish you.
Whether it’s something you want or need, you have a solid reason to carve out time for yourself. Taking care of yourself will make you happier and healthier. It will also help you become more productive and allow you to accomplish the things that matter to you.
When you look after yourself well, you will also be able to care for other people. The more you prioritize yourself, the greater the ability and patience you will have to help and support those who need your assistance.
Why Putting Yourself First Can Be Hard?
There are many reasons why you may find it difficult to prioritize yourself. Here are a few of them:
- Lack of drive
- Problems choosing when to start
- Problems sticking to the healthy behavior
- Not knowing the right time to seek assistance
- Attachment to unhealthy habits and behavior
- Life events that affect healthy behaviors
There’s Nothing Wrong With Being “Selfish”
Sometimes, it’s good (or even necessary) to be “selfish.”
A good example of when you need to put yourself first is during a weight-loss journey.
Throughout this period, you will need to make decisions that benefit you and your health without considering the opinion or interests of others. You may have to restrain yourself from some social scenarios – even though the people in your life may not be happy with your decision. You may have to decline invites to parties and say no to your friend’s homemade brownies, etc. Maybe you will have to hit the gym every Sunday morning, even if your partner prefers you stay home and cuddle on the couch.
Saying a simple “no” may be the key to changing your unhealthy habits. However, it’s not an easy thing to do, especially if you feel like you are depriving yourself and making sacrifices.
Your mindset can make a huge impact on your weight-loss journey. While it may seem difficult to connect with others when focusing on your health goals, concentrating on the sacrifices or the things you are “missing out” on can make it more difficult for you to stick to your objectives.
Making a choice that improves your health is not a sacrifice but a shift.
One difference between the two is that while shifts can be maintained over a long period of time, sacrifices may be unsustainable.
It is best to see healthy changes as “shifts” not “sacrifices” you need to make to achieve your goals. A sacrifice means you don’t get any benefit or reward. Meanwhile, changing your mindset and behaviors toward improving your mind, spirit, and body will surely benefit you.
Take Away
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us are so occupied that we barely have time to sleep in our daily schedule, let alone have time for self-care. Basically, self-care means the things we do to take care of ourselves – be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
Consider changing your mindset and find out how important it’s to take care of yourself. Bear in mind that you are not doing this for yourself alone but also for the people you love. If you are unwell (whether physically or emotionally) because of your excess weight or an unhealthy diet, there will be a time when you will not be able to take care of those that matter the most to you. Prioritizing yourself and your health with Ideal Protein is a huge step in the right direction towards caring for oneself.
BioIntelligent Wellness have been helping people shed their excess weight and keep it off in a sustainable way for more than a decade. If you are in need of expert guidance to get your health parameters back in control, schedule a complimentary consultation today.
