When was the last time you did something for yourself and yourself only? If you can’t remember, then it’s high time you learn to make yourself a priority!
You prioritize the needs of others, you deal with all those tasks and challenges on a daily basis and you never add ‘some me time’ to your to-do list.
Other people’s happiness and well-being are important to you but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prioritize your own needs as well!
A hectic lifestyle, deadlines and tons of chores (especially the annoying ones) don’t leave you much space for quality alone time or self-care at the end of the day.
However, you need to understand that making yourself a priority means to invest in your happiness!
And if you’re still not convinced, here are some damn good reasons why you should make yourself a priority right away!
Why is making yourself a priority the best thing you can do for yourself?
Because:
1. You can’t look after others if you don’t look after yourself first
We often forget the fact that we can’t help others if we don’t help ourself first. We can’t love others if we don’t learn to love ourself first. And the list goes on and on.
Everything starts with YOU. If you want to look after others, you have to make sure that you’re capable of doing so. And you’ll do that by first taking care of yourself—by making yourself a priority.
Trust me, there’s nothing wrong or selfish in that. It’s necessary and it’s something you shouldn’t think twice about doing.
If you put all of your effort into helping others and meeting their needs, over time you will become tired and worn out.
You won’t have as much energy left as you had before. And over time, you will no longer be able to meet their needs because you neglected your own.
So, looking after yourself first and then after others might be the best bet for both you and those you care about.
2. The way you treat yourself teaches others how to treat you
If you deliberately neglect your own needs, you will send others (your family, friends or your partner) the message that it’s okay for them to treat you like that as well.
By taking care of yourself or not doing so, you set standards for other people.
If you’re constantly jumping to every single wish and request, you’re letting other people know that it’s totally okay for them to expect of you to act that way all the time.
And that’s when you start feeling taken for granted and unappreciated.
However, they don’t know that; they only see a woman or a man who is willing to do anything and everything for those they love and care about.
It becomes a standard and when something becomes a standard, it’s really hard to replace it with a new set of rules.
If you continue only giving without asking for anything in return and without prioritizing yourself, you will teach them that this is totally okay.
If you’re a parent, your children might imitate your style in the future and there you have it: an endless chain of unmet priorities and wishes.
So, break that chain today because you owe it to yourself and others.
3. And because you deserve it!
Just like every other human being on earth, you deserve to be happy. You’re an amazing, unique person with your own needs, wishes and desires which shouldn’t be neglected but instead met.
Just as you’re helping others achieve their dreams, finish their homework or tasks, organize an event and so on, you deserve the same thing in return. You deserve to be the best version of yourself!
There’s only one way of attaining it and that is by practicing self-love, self-respect and self-awareness. The moment you become aware of all that, you will see your true potential.
You will see that you’re unstoppable!
You can’t fight other people’s battles if you don’t learn to fight your own first. You can’t make others happy if you don’t make yourself happy first.
These are the golden rules of life and the only principles you should live by.
You were born as a unique individual and you come into this world alone, which means you deserve to make yourself a priority because if you don’t, no one else will.
At the end of the day, all you have is yourself. You are alone with your own thoughts and if those thoughts are not screaming self-love and happiness, then you know you’re doing something wrong.
Then you know it’s time to make yourself a priority!
18 Simple Ways To Make Yourself Your Number One Priority
1. Stop making excuses
The first step to making yourself a priority is learning to stop making excuses like: I don’t have time for physical activity, to go for a walk, meditate or similar.
You yourself know that this is a lie. With a little bit of organization, anything is manageable.
Instead of focusing only on meeting other people’s needs, your deadlines and doing chores, it’s time to focus on making yourself happy and content.
It’s time to admit to yourself that you deserve to make yourself a priority instead of only making excuses!
2. Take control of your decisions
Stop letting others tell you what to do and stop saying, “Yes,” to everyone. It’s time to take control of your decisions and do what’s best for you.
If you want to make yourself a priority, you need to learn to say, “No,” to people and the things you’re not interested in and that don’t fulfill you.
It’s important that you stay genuine and true to yourself and that’s why you should avoid doing things that don’t feel right to you.
3. Say yes to pursuing your passions
What are the things that make you feel happy, fulfilled and inspired? Is it singing, drawing, cooking, dancing, gaming, writing?
Your passions are the core of your being, the essence of your happiness, so it’s high time you say, “Yes,” to pursuing them.
If you have an extremely busy schedule, you can sing while cooking or you can dance while cleaning. Whatever you do, just don’t let your passions fade away.
You need to keep alive that spark in your eyes which makes you who you are!
4. Take care of your body
Your body is your temple and your physical health along with your mental health should be your number one priority.
If you don’t have time to hit the gym regularly, you can get your heart rate going by walking or jogging.
Be careful what you’re putting into your body because you know what they say: ‘You are what you eat’.
If you want to be fit and healthy, you need to eat healthy food and get rid of all those unhealthy habits like overconsumption of alcohol, junk food and similar.
Why? Because you owe it to yourself and you deserve to be happy!
5. Nourish your mind
Similarly to ‘You are what you eat’, there’s another popular saying: ‘You are what you think’. A negative mindset is, by far, one of the most cancerous things in life (and we’re often not even aware of it).
To nourish your mind means to embrace positive thinking and always try to find a silver lining in every situation.
But sometimes, there will be things that are out of your control and you won’t be able to do anything about them.
In that case, you need to find the courage to accept the things you cannot change. You need to stay positive and believe that everything happens for a reason.
6. Remove all forms of toxicity from your life
When someone mentions the word ‘toxicity’, the first thing that comes to your mind is toxic people, right? Well, you’re not alone on that one.
Many people think that there’s only one form of toxicity in their life and that is negative people.
But the truth is that there are so many forms that are often neglected and these are: social media, fast food, an unsatisfying career, jealousy, regrets, etc.
If you remove only toxic people from your life and ignore the afore-mentioned, your life will still be filled with negativity, only from different sources. That’s why it’s important to target all of them and liberate yourself.
7. Set realistic expectations
Unrealistic expectations are one of the biggest sources of discontent, so one of the ways to make yourself a priority is to set realistic expectations for yourself.
Regardless of whether you’re studying or working, you have to set your goals and expectations in accordance with your possibilities and capabilities.
You should never seek perfection and you should never think that you’re less worthy if you fail at achieving certain things.
By setting realistic expectations, you will decrease potential disappointments and increase your happiness.
8. Create a daily ritual
In modern times like these, it’s essential that you create a daily ritual that will help you to recharge and get rid of all the negativity.
However, this daily ritual doesn’t have to be something big. It can be meditation, going for a walk, doing something creative or similar.
Your daily ritual will help you to make yourself a priority in your daily life and that’s the only thing that matters!
9. Allow yourself to embrace imperfection
So what if you don’t look like a model, if you have a scar on your body or if you do things in your own way that are far from perfection? That’s more than okay and it is desirable!
Allow yourself to embrace imperfection because that’s who you are. You are an imperfectly perfect human being and that’s why you should never strive to reach perfection in any form.
Allow yourself to see the beauty in your quirks and flaws because that’s what makes you truly unique and special!
10. Start a gratitude journal
There’s one thing we often forget to practice in our daily life and that is gratitude.
We spend so much time dreaming and contemplating the things we would like to have but we seldom express gratefulness for the things we already have. And that’s why journaling rocks!
If you want to attract more positive things into your life, you will need to practice gratefulness by starting a gratitude journal.
Converting your thoughts into gratitude at the end of the day will boost your positive mindset and prepare you for the challenges of the next day.
See also: When You Date A Strong Woman, You’ll Be Her Second Priority
11. Trust your gut
Do you know that little voice in your head telling you to do something (or rather not) or warning you about things? That little voice which is often neglected is your intuition (your gut).
Making yourself a priority means trusting your gut and what your body and mind are trying to say to you.
Instead of solely focusing on other people’s words, you need to look deeper into yourself and you’ll find the answers to your questions. You’ll find solutions to your problems.
12. Allow yourself a break from time to time
Remember that you don’t have to do everything or be everywhere at the same time. It’s okay to take a time out when you’re feeling off or tired. You’re only human after all.
What you can’t do today, you will finish tomorrow. Pressuring yourself and forcing yourself to do more than you’re capable of at the moment is a recipe for disaster.
Reset your thoughts and recharge yourself by taking a break and enjoying doing something that makes you happy.
13. Practice daily affirmations
Remind yourself every day of your true worth and how special you are. Practice positive self-talk by implementing daily affirmations into your life.
Repeat to yourself positive sentences like: “I am enough. I’m capable of achieving whatever I set my mind to. I am beautiful and special.”
Daily affirmations will boost your confidence and help you cope with life challenges.
14. Ask for help when needed
Remember that you don’t have to do everything on your own. It’s okay to ask for help when you’re not sure how to do something or when you can’t do it alone.
To make yourself a priority means admitting to yourself that you’re not a robot and sometimes you also need assistance from other people, which is more than okay.
15. Indulge yourself
Make a list of things you would want to do for yourself today, tomorrow or next week. Read a good book, take a long bath, eat your favorite food, watch TV shows or do whatever makes you happy.
Spoil yourself by enjoying doing the things you like. Instead of spending your free time helping others, make yourself feel special by focusing on the little things that mean a lot to you.
16. Ask for what you really want and need
Instead of being satisfied with mediocrity, always ask for what you really want and need from others! The recipe for happiness is in giving and receiving and not only giving.
In order to be able to receive, you need to say what you expect, want and need.
You are responsible for your own happiness and well-being and you should never blame others if they don’t give you what you want if you don’t even ask them.
However, if you ask for what you want and they don’t reciprocate, then they belong to a category called toxic people and you’re better off without them.
17. Believe in yourself
Believing in yourself is the key to personal growth. If you don’t think you can do something and you’re constantly underestimating yourself, you won’t be able to progress.
In a world full of pride, prejudice and judgment, you need to learn to believe in yourself because if you don’t, no one else will.
You need to send a message to the world that you’re capable of achieving anything if you want to. And you will be unstoppable.
18. Get out of your comfort zone
Falling into a rut is definitely one of the most popular modern life diseases. You wake up, you go to work, you come home, you watch TV, you go to sleep and you do everything all over again the next day.
If you want to live your life to the fullest and reach your potential, you need to get out of your comfort zone, do exciting things, face your fears and enjoy every second of it.
Live, Love, Laugh!
Live every day as if it were your last, spread the love and don’t forget to laugh. Make yourself a priority by nourishing your positive mindset and believing that you are exactly where you need to be right now!
Don’t be afraid to cry when you need to and don’t be ashamed to laugh when everyone around you is crying.
Remember that life is not always black and white but it’s a million shades of gray and the only way to be truly happy is by discovering and embracing them.
See also: Self-Care Tips: How To Fall In Love With Taking Care Of Yourself
