Choosing Yourself Is A Wise Investment

Many people struggle with even the thought of “Putting Themselves First”. This viewpoint is typically misperceived as one of selfishness. Women are typically natural born nurturers and caregivers often giving of themselves without expectation to receive anything back. There are certainly times when this is true and certainly the right perspective. Imagine caring for your newborn child who is totally helpless, defenseless and totally dependent upon you. This is a life you’ve created and yes you should give of yourself 100% knowing that the love and bond being created is priceless and can never be compared or valued with a price.rnHowever, there are other times that you must be open minded and recognize that putting yourself first isn’t a selfish act but rather a necessity! My hope is to challenge your current position on this subject especially if you find yourself struggling in this area. Instead of viewing this as something selfish see it as something necessary if you desire to operate at your optimal best. Let’s do a quick exercise. Close your eyes and imagine someone in your life that is very dear to your heart. It could be a spouse, child, parent, sibling, or good friend. Imagine they were expressing to you their concerns about their life and the lack of balance they currently have. They are stressing frequently and neglecting all aspects of their personal health. Wouldn’t you…  Insist they take time for themselves?  Insist they get adequate sleep and rest?  Encourage them to eat well and exercise often for their health?  Encourage them to follow their dreams?  Encourage them to create a vision and plan for their life?  Encourage them to evaluate their relationships and associate with people who value and respect them?  Insist they alleviate chaos from their life so they can live peacefully? Then ask yourself the question, don’t I deserve the same? Absolutely YES! Human beings must meet their basics needs before they are capable of achieving higher level goals. To achieve success in any other area of your life you must first succeed at being you. You must prioritize your actions so you are intentionally doing things that place an emphasis on not just achieving your goals but also achieving balance and success within your life. You must succeed at managing, supporting, respecting and preserving your own body (temple) and the gifts inside you.rnPRIORITIES IN LIFErnHere are a few simple things you can do:rn1. Recognize the need for someone greater than YOU. Recognize your greatest source of strength is from God above and your success depends upon you placing a high premium on the things of God in your life. You have to ensure on your list of priorities He is always FIRST and you focus on keeping him in the TOP position. This relationship equips, prepares, encourages and sustains you on your journey. So making sure you have given Him the highest priority in your life will produce the greatest rewards imaginable.rn2. You have to remember that your ability to perform that the star you are depends on getting the right amount of rest, exercise, healthy eating and healthy thinking possible.rn3. Understand that yes it’s true; everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, not everyone is entitled or should be allowed to speak into your life.rn4. Be crystal clear about your goals. This helps you stay on track and only move towards things that are in alignment with your desires. You will now be empowered to say NO to things that you know will consume your time but not produce the results you desire.rn5. Learn to stop being people pleasers and instead become a God pleaser. Learn how to please Him so your life honors Him because you’re living on purpose and not living on people.rn6. Don’t just talk about it. Be about it and make sure your actions are measurable. Anything that can’t be measured can’t be managed.rn7. Having the right mental picture of yourself makes it easier to value your time, your gifts, your goals and your worth.rn8. Let us not forget that your mindset is one of the essentials to doing you. You can’t see yourself as underserving, unworthy or incapable of achieving the things you desire. Instead you must develop positive self-talk that encourages you to go and conquer!rn9. Stop making excuses!!! Start making intentional choices that are in tune with your goals.rn10. Ensure you get adequate sleep which promotes a healthier you.rn11. Exercise daily and laugh frequently.rn12. Schedule fun and recreational activities to include in your life on a weekly basis. It can be as simple as watching a movie you want to watch, go to a restaurant you enjoy, hang out with the people that make you laugh. After all, laughter is good for the soul.rn13. Identify time wasters, tolerances and energy drainers in your life and eliminate them. Yes, this does include people who drain you of your time and energy! You may not necessarily be able to eliminate the person but you can more effectively manage how much access and power you give them in your life.rn14. You are your greatest investment and the more you deposit into YOU, the more you will be able to reap the benefits and enjoy the return on your investments.rn15. Don’t seek validation from others! It’s not their life, it’s not their goals. They have their own purpose to fulfill just as you have yours!