Prioritise yourself first

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball

I know putting you first before your loved ones can sound crazy or self-indulgent. However, it’s not being selfish, it is taking care of yourself so you can put more energy into the people around you.

To be the best version of yourself you need to put yourself before others, fill yourself up so you are overflowing and bursting with love. By taking a bit of time for yourself before you show up for others, you’ll be able to show up as the best possible you. For example, I get up a bit earlier than my husband and have a cup of tea and take a bit of time to settle into the day, then once he is up I can greet him with love, and maybe a cup of coffee rather than a grunt. Like on a plane you need to put your own oxygen mask on first before the person next to you.

To many people, this is a hard concept to grasp, especially if you have a busy life. You rush around all day taking care of your partner, colleagues, children and grandchildren trying to be everything to everyone, then at the end of the day, you are left feeling worn out, unappreciated and rather unhappy. Being busy doesn’t mean you should stop looking after yourself, it means you should fill yourself up even more so you can be the best version of you.
Here’s an analogy, a pond can’t feed a stream if it doesn’t fill itself up first, once it is filled to the brim it can trickle down and feed the stream. If the pond is only half full, there isn’t much to share.

Put it into practice:

Think (and write down) 10 things that you love to do, that light you up, inspire and motivate you.
They could be:
– Enjoying the sun on your face
– Having a lie in
– Reading a good book
– Moving your body such as going for a walk
– Baking or making a delicious dinner
– Catching up with friends
– Doing a favourite craft project
– Doing a random act of kindness
– Getting a haircut or pampering yourself
– Having a good laugh

Take at least one thing from the list each day and do it. In moments when you’re feeling a bit flat, do something from your list that will personally bring you joy. The aim is to fill yourself from the inside out with love, rather than expecting people to love you before you can love yourself.