A Little Selfishness Goes a Long Way

With the Holidays right around the corner, kids back in school and the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, we often struggle to find time to nourish our minds, bodies and relationships.   A couple weeks ago I wrote about finding ways to nurture our relationships and this article will focus more on nurturing ourselves and the implications on our mood, self esteem and our ability to be better partners, parents and/or friends.

We often think that to be our best in relationships we must give a lot and do a lot for others.  I however, believe that the more selfish we are with our time, our bodies and our mental energy, the better we can be in any relationship.  Let me explain....

For years we have heard about the benefits of exercise, yet we often find it hard to get to the gym or get outside for a bike ride, walk or run.  With the competing needs that our busy lives bring, we often put the needs of those we care about first.  What if instead of prioritizing the needs of others, we focused more on the value we can add to them by making time for our physical and emotional health? 

When we take time to exercise, to feed our minds with positive and healthy materials or to put healthy boundaries around who or how we spend our time, we actually position ourselves to improve our relationships .  When we feel good physically, it adds to our emotional strength.  We become empowered and make decisions more confidently.  As physically and emotionally strong, empowered and self confident people, we are more giving, less irritated, happier and have more energy to participate in life.  We sleep better, see the world more positively and are more attentive partners, parents and friends. 

Every small choice we make to invest in our own well-being adds to the longevity of our lives.  The more we invest in our physical and emotional health, the more we demonstrate our love to those we care about.  By choosing health, we optimize our chances of being around as long as possible to enjoy the meaningful relationships in our lives.

Seemingly small choices can add tremendous value to your life. Think about small ways to invest in yourself, become a role model for self care and in doing so, you will feel better and your partners, kids and/or friends will reap the benefits too.