The Value of Taking Care of Yourself
(Cont'd)
The
list might include things like getting a massage, playing sports,
walking in nature, listening to a certain type of music, running,
hanging out with friends, singing, painting, meditating, driving
in the country or along the coast, reading, attending a play,
musical, symphony, movie, dance performance, or gardening.
If you want, share the list with a friend or two and get their
ideas as well. Add the ones from their list that you
like to your list. Commit right now to doing at least
one of the things on your list each week. Schedule
it. Put it in your calendar (or it will get overrun with other
apparently ‘more important or urgent’ issues.) Hold
that time sacred.
It
might necessitate negotiating with your family to take
over some of the daily living chores from you or becoming a
more effective delegating at work. Be prepared to tell
the people around you the benefits they will receive of you
taking time to take care of yourself. Let them know
how they can help you be a happier parent, spouse, sibling,
employee, and/or boss. Be prepared to ‘Just Say No’
or negotiate with people for a solution that works better for
you. It’s amazing how resilient people are and how able
they are to come up with alternatives to depending on you for
everything.
Imagine
how you’ll feel after you’ve launched this
‘Taking Care of Me!’ project. Imagine the
peace you’re experiencing. Imagine the impact of on those
around you of dealing with a serene, joyful, and
satisfied you.
Ask
yourself the following questions:
-
What
will valuing me allow for? (For me individually,
for my team, for my family, for my organization, for my
organization’s customers, for their customers, for
my community, etc.)?
-
What will this result make possible? (For
me individually, for my team, for my family, for my organization,
for my organization’s customers, for their customers,
for my community, etc.)
-
What
future results or benefits could be generated? (For
me individually, for my team, for my family, for my organization,
for my organization’s customers, for their customers,
for my community, etc.)
-
What
will I (my team, family, organization, customers,
community, etc.) be able to do better or more easily
as a result?
-
Who
will benefit and how?
Really
take the time to envision the impact of nurturing yourself in this
way. I’ve found in my conversations with clients,
that doing this process reveals a plethora of benefits far beyond
what they originally thought - projects completed early and under
budget, children whose early self-sufficiency better prepare them
for college, customers who are grateful and loyal, revenue streams
that are substantially increased. Tailor this process to your specific
situation. Recognizing the value it will be for others will help
you eliminate the feeling of selfishness that may have kept you
from embarking on a self-nurturing plan sooner.
It is your life. You are the only one who can really have
it turn out according to the vision you have for yourself. What
kind of life do you want? The choice is yours – every day,
every moment. If you’ve heard me speak recently, you’ve
heard me share one of my fundamental beliefs that we all have more
options than we tend to see and more control than we tend to take.
So… carpe diem! |
