Life is crazy. We spend so much of our time hustling that we often forget to take a moment for ourselves. It’s easy for some of us to give to others all of the time and not expect anything in return. Though we may not consciously expect anything in return; we would like for people to put in the same amount of effort for us as we do for them. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
We can find ourselves in situations where we feel underappreciated, or taken for granted. When we begin to feel like this, we need to examine why exactly we feel unappreciated. Was it because your friend didn’t say thank you? Or was it because your mom didn’t say recognize that you went above and beyond and mopped the floors today? Whatever the cause may be, you need to think about it from the other person’s perspective.
Nothing is ever black and white; there are multiple shades of gray for just about every situation. Looking at something from another perspective may help you gain a new understanding. For example, did your friend not thank you for what you did for them because you do it all the time and they honestly forgot to say thank you. Your mom may not have noticed the freshly mopped floors because she had a long day at work.
Even though we need consider other people’s actions and situations, we must also consider our own feelings. If we don’t advocate for ourselves, then who will? We should always consider others, but also know when enough is enough. Our mental health is just as important as others.
Here are a few great self-care tips to try out:
- Try an outdoor workout
- Get outside
- Pay it forward
- Breathe the right scents
- Stress less
- Be mindful
- Be happy
- Meditate
- Dance around
- Turn up the tunes
- Eat more veggies
- Swear it off
- Get on it
- Laugh out loud
- Look at something cute
- Get some sleep
- De-clutter
- Cuddle
- Unplug
- Get out of town
Being aware of our feelings and where we are mentally is highly important. It’s great to care for others, and give our energy to our loved ones. However, there are times when we need to take time for ourselves. Life is crazy stressful, and we can lose sight of what is important. Self-care is just as important as caring for others.