Self time ... not selfish
Self empowerment ... not arrogant
Indulgent … self nurturing
Self entitled … deserving
We spend a good part of our lives tending to others, in service of those we love or work for, and in relationships we adapt to the wants and needs of those we love.
As a result, we may not be tending to ourselves with the same care and attention.
Many of us feel we're not entitled to this kind of self-care. This couldn't be further from the truth.
When you wake up years later and wonder why you’re not doing exactly what you want or the way you want to do it, you may feel the desire to rewrite the course, make some adjustments, or take off in a different direction altogether.
Before you embark on this new reinvention chapter of your life, I’m here to grant you the permission to be selfish and go for it.
"But wait... I can’t abandon the kids, my spouse, the people who I love, and those who need me!"
You don't need to! But you CAN be selfish, in that you indulge in all your whims and fantasies (well, most!) and pursue your life passions. Free yourself from a way of life that’s not quite what you signed up for but you've ended up living. There is no need to forgo all the other wonderful aspects of your life, rather, rearrange them to better fit the life that you desire and deserve.
This is YOUR life, not someone else’s. What you’ve done to date has caused others' to be intertwined with yours so yes, it may not be fair, right, or appropriate to jump on a plane tomorrow and disappear for three months to find yourself in Australia, an Ashram or a European bike tour... but with a little planning and consideration, you can absolutely make it happen!
Many of you feel that you’re not entitled to do what you dream about while you sit and watch the world go by. You see your friends and colleagues living out their dreams while you’re sitting on the sidelines saying “why me, why can’t I, I could never do that, I can’t afford that, I have too many responsibilities, my spouse would never let me, my mother needs 24-7 care and I can’t leave, the kids are too young... the dog ate my homework...” Getting the picture?
Excuses...
Stop!
If this is really what you want, first you need to believe that you ARE entitled and you CAN put all the right pieces in place to create the life you want. It’s OK to be self caring, aka selfish, and look out for yourself first...
“Put your oxygen mask on first” and you will serve yourself and everyone around you better as you will be strong of fortitude and direction, confident in your ability to take care of yourself, and, most importantly, be happier.
So make those plans...whether it’s in six months or six years, dare to dream, dare to be indulgent, dare to feel entitled, dare to be selfish!
#lifeonyourterms #changeyourhabits #daregreatly #success #goals #dreams #happy #passion #inspiration #habits #nextchapter #reboot #oxygen #selfcare #selfish
Kathi, I just discovered your blog today and I wish that I could have discovered it sooner. Be that as it may, I am glad that I now have several articles to read and be inspired by. As an artist and caregiver, I can relate to what you have written in this article; I was reminded to start investing in and taking greater care of myself. Thank you.