Before You "Just Show Up" For Others, You Should...

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We discussed showing up for people when they are grieving, struggling, dying, when it’s uncomfortable. Such an important part of living well and dying well. But there is a critical piece that so many of us are not good at. It’s the piece that will make is so much easier for you to be able to show up for people.
​So here’s the other secret. Are you ready??  You must…

​Show Up for Yourself FIRST!

​Show up for yourself first. If you want to take good care of others, the best thing you can do is to bring the best version of yourself to the table. It’s being a great example of how important self-care is. It’s putting your own health and needs at the top of your priority list. You must be an excellent self-care giver in order to give your best to others. And teach them to do the same. “I don’t have time!” This is the #1 excuse for not taking good care of ourselves. Well, then guess what; You may just be setting yourself up for excessive suffering. Because when you don’t take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually or financially, eventually something gives.
 
I tried to be a hero when our twins were a couple of months old. We had company so I stayed up late, being Superwoman, I ignored my fatigue and guess what? I collapsed and ended up in the hospital.
Here’s another critical piece: if we take care of ourselves, then others won’t have to take care of us.
And if we do get sick, but we’ve done our best, we won’t feel so badly when others have to take care of us!!
Something to really think about.If you do not have time for great self-care, then perhaps it’s time
to really have a look at the life that you have created.
 
Because we always have choices. We may not always have the choices we wish we had, but we always have choices. I’ve had to make some very tough choices in my life. I was a single parent, I’ve severed relationships that were toxic, I’ve moved so many times I’ve lost count. But I had to make these choices in my life, to create the life I wanted, I needed. I had no idea what it would look like,
I just knew I was suffering and needed change.
 
 If you sit still, and ask yourself, without thinking, on a scale of 1 to 10...
"How happy am I, the majority of the time?" What would the answer be? And if the number is not 7  
or above…is that good enough?
 
Give yourself time to rejuvenate.  You are worth it. 
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you, most of the time?
If you don’t like your number,
​what can you do to change that? 
 
We need time for introspection, we need one on one time with loved ones and we need time to dance!
​For the Heaths…the water calls!