The Importance of caring for Yourself

Who is the most important person in the world?

You are, because if you are not here nothing else exists. This does not mean that you are more or less important than anyone else. We are all equally important, no ones needs are greater or lesser than yours. When you recognise the importance of caring for yourself this becomes the greatest gift you can share with others.

You may have travelled on a plane at some point and be familiar with the words of the air host,’ in the event of the cabin pressure falling please ensure you place the oxygen mask on your self first before helping others.’

You must care for your self first in order to be able to care for others.

Your life is a gift and you have a duty to yourself. You may have been told to care for others first, to not be selfish. So we were taught to sacrifice ourselves for others, why?

 I recall many years ago waiting at my children’s Montessori primary school to pick them up. There was a mulberry tree that was very popular with the children who would compete to find the ripe black mulberries to eat. 

On this particular day I was waiting with another mother.

She walked over to the tree and reaching up she began to eat the rich ripe mulberries, I said ‘shouldn’t you keep those for the children’?

As she popped a ripe red mulberry into her mouth, she turned to me and said ‘why’?

I couldn’t find an answer.

You cannot sacrifice yourself for others or there will be nothing left.

Caring for our selves is the first step in valuing ourselves.

And what of respect?

If you cannot respect yourself how can you expect others to respect you?

And love, how can you expect others to love you if you do not love yourself?

Consider for a moment, if you were to recognise the true nature of oneself, a divine being with a life purpose, who has the potential to offer so much to this world and your loved ones surely you would care for your self first and foremost to allow for the realisation of the self?

When you recognise the true nature of yourself you are able to give not from self-sacrifice and depletion but from an endless source of manifestation.

So what does it mean to care for your self? It means to value your self worth.

It means that you as an individual have natural desires and needs and they need to be expressed. You count! You have the gift of a voice; use it not to comment on others for they are not yours to comment on but as an expression of the self within you.

How often do you wake up in the morning and decide what can you do for yourself today? Perform a little checklist, consciously quieten your mind through breathing, do a little review how is my body and mind feeling? What does the body need today, rest or exercise, what type of exercise, what food will nourish my body today?

 You have one life, one reality that you create for yourself, let your voice be heard or others will step into the void and short-change you.