I was reading an article about a trend among most women, especially those who have children. The article talked about how many women know that they need to take better care of themselves but often don’t. It turns out that many of us have been raised to take care of others first, which initially sounds like the right thing to do. Many of us actually feel selfish if we think about self-care and our own needs before taking care of the needs of those who depend on us.
It may feel like a constant battle, and when we are busy, pulled in many directions, exhausted, and likely sacrificing our own health to ensure that of others, we may not realize the toll this takes on us years later. As I watch my daughter grow up into a woman and the lessons she learned from me over these years come to shine, I begin to not only look in the mirror to see how I have behaved towards my own self, but notice how other women around me, and especially those near my age, see themselves now when it comes to their own health and well-being. And the one thing I want to make sure I still teach my own daughter is the same one I need to learn for myself, as well as pass on to my patients. And that is this: taking care of yourself is not selfish; it’s making sure that everyone around you gets the best of you instead of what’s left of you.
So I am writing this blog in the hopes that this message reaches other women, struggling to take care of their spouses, children, parents, or dependents. And that is to take care of yourself because you can’t give what you don’t have and you can’t care for others when you are exhausted, run-down, or unhealthy. So this next series of blogs I will publish is dedicated to those women that I have been fortunate to meet, share this message and see them shine as they take care of themselves in order to be healthy, happy, and serene.
Read all of the blogs in this series