A very respected healer told me recently that being healthy was “a full time job.”
He said it in a very matter of fact way.
I laughed.
As I laid on his treatment table working out my own energy balance for two hours, I realized that he was not at all kidding. Taking care of yourself is not something to squeeze into a day if you happen to find the time. After all, if I had taken the time to build up my own sense of “I come first” a while back I wouldn’t need all this healing now in the first place!
Do you put yourself first?
The actual reason I have to spend hours getting my energy sorted in my body by healers now is to make up from the damage of a decade of putting my own self last and putting “accomplishment” and “other people” first. By turning my workouts into walking 10 city blocks in Manhattan to have cocktails, skipping every other meal or eating protein bars (what is in those things?!), staying up all night every other night and generally putting myself last I created a great big problem with my immune system that has taken many years to fix… and still takes time to maintain.
Wellness is a full-time job of sorts for sure.
It doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and meditate all day on a hilltop to be well. But, it does mean that its worth picking out the things that keep you sane, healthy and happy and doing them, daily!
Between eating good food, maintaining a healthy space, taking time to exercise, sleeping enough, maintaining whatever spiritual practice you might have and any other regimes like baths or spa or whatever it may be… that’s seemingly a whole lot of stuff to make a priority.
But I promise you, it’s not that big of a deal if you shift habits slowly and stay consistent with them. And, if you’re making the really great choices that will definately make your life far more radiant, all these choices should be really fun!
The hour of TV watching could be a half hour with TV and a great aromatherapy bath.
The web surfing could be a You Tube yoga video done instead.
Listen to some inspiration in a headset while you walk the dog, wash your car or do the dishes.
Early bedtime to work in the morning rather than extra-late-night working.
And on and on and on…
When I get really busy, its still tempting to skip meals, put other people first, miss sleep, skip my own yoga… but now, almost superstitiously, I won’t backslide fully into my old ways.
If you dare to put yourself first you may be surprised- as I was- to have:
– More time in a day. Seriously, whether its the alertness and accuracy of a well-rested body or better eating habits generating more energy… but I am astonished by how much more I can get done in a day since I started putting me first.
– More harmony. When you aren’t frantic and depleted it is funny how much static and drama you can avoid!
– Better health! Even simple habits like going to bed before midnight and drinking a few extra glasses of water that took a while to adopt even though they are so easy to do have been a turning point in creating more wellness in my own life.
And, life is much more fun.
You may need to say No to a few extra commitments to put yourself first. Your friends may call you selfish. You are not!
You may feel like you are missing out on things by sleeping more and taking time for yourself. It will pay off if you are feeling more rested, more revitalized and more inspired.
If you keep putting you first, you might be astonished by how exhilarating it is to have proper meals, to take spa days, to spend time in nature…
You won’t want to skimp on taking care of yourself when you realize how awesome it is to do it as a lifestyle… and your whole life will reflect this super-high value!!!
xoxo Dana
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xoxo!!!
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Love this!
Thank you for the reminder. I really needed this today! It’s so easy to slide back into the habit of ignoring myself, and feel like I’m doing okay because I’m being so “selfless,” and not even notice how I’m really just running myself into the ground.
I did this for the first time last year without guilt. I was totally and completely “me” and it was so freeing. Not only did I find my life start to improve dramatically, I lost weight and got healthy in my soul. I made new friends. Co-workers noticed and had to know how I was so….peaceful. I even teach my students to be unique and to be themselves…it’s part of my classroom rules xoxo
you are obviously a teacher that is changing many lives! so awesome to hear how much joy you’ve found in putting you first! :)))