March 22, 2019
Many women tend to put their own health and well-being last on their never-ending list of priorities – and I can certainly relate. While I would love to get around to some “me” time, I often just don’t have the time or energy. My family’s needs always come first, so I usually spend most of my day attending to them. And by the end of the day, there is usually little or no time left for myself.
I take great pride in my selfless ways, and I think they make me a good wife, mother, and daughter. Interestingly, my husband doesn’t see it that way.
While he appreciates my help (most of the time), he is constantly telling me that I need to make my health and well-being a priority. Literally, his favorite thing to say to me is, “You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.” While I hate to admit it, he’s right.
The pressure of trying to do it all can make you feel overwhelmed and create a lot of stress. Since having a baby, I’ve realized that taking care of everything for everyone just isn’t possible any more. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your health by weakening your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, weight gain, sleep issues, stomach ulcers, depression, diabetes, and heart disease.
To put it simply: If you neglect yourself to the point that you’re really sick (physically, mentally, or emotionally), you won’t be any good to anyone.
Experts recommend the following self-care measures to help address and support your health and wellness so you can be healthy and, subsequently, able to take care of your loved ones.
I used to be one of those people who believed it was selfish to take care of yourself or make yourself a priority, but now I know that’s not true. If it’s important to you to take care of others, then you have to pay attention to your own well-being — you’re no good to anyone if you’re out of commission! You have to be healthy to manage all the demands of your life and family, and that requires caring as much about yourself as you do for others.
I think I’ll start my self-care journey by redeeming that gift certificate that my husband gave me for a relaxing massage. I’m worth it!
This content was originally published on IBX Insights.
Mother. Wife. TV junkie. Shopaholic. That’s me in a nutshell – outside of work. As a copywriter at IBX, I enjoy learning about the health and wellness topics that I write about and hope to incorporate more healthy habits into my daily life to give me the energy to keep up with my baby girl.
