The #1 Thing You Can Do to Start Feeling Better

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I’ll be brief. Here is what I believe is the #1 Thing You Can Do to Start Feeling Better:

Put yourself first.

I know what you’re saying: “But Christy, that’s easy for you to say. You don’t have kids…” Here’s a list of the people whose needs I used to put first before my own:

  • My students
  • My potential students
  • My husband
  • My ex-husband
  • My dogs (yes, dogs are people too)
  • My parents
  • My grandparents
  • My neighbors
  • My friends

And you know what? Putting all those people’s needs before my own often made me feel like crap. Have you noticed this in your own life? It’s the constant:

  • I need to be available to teach classes when it’s convenient for my students’ schedules.
  • I need to be a good wife/mother/daughter and always be at my husband’s/child’s/parents’ beck and call.
  • I need to take the dog for a walk even though I don’t really have the time so it’s going to stress us both out.
  • I need to do this thing my friend invited me to do even though I’m exhausted and just want to stay home.
  • I need to not complain to my neighbors about their barking dogs to ‘keep the peace.’

Cue the resentment, stress, overwhelm, anxiety and depression.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you should always put yourself first before others. But please realize that it’s our patriarchal society that says that women, in particular, need to put everyone else’s needs before our own. I call B.S. You are worthy of putting yourself first sometimes. You are worthy of feeling good. You deserve what you want for yourself. Nobody else is going to put you first–it’s not in their best interest, is it?–YOU have to put yourself first. Yes, it will feel awkward and uncomfortable at first. Yes, you’ll feel guilty. But you know what? If you can sit with all that, you’ll come out the other side–and the possibilities will be endless: relationships will get better; your health will get better; you will just feel better. And that creates a ripple effect; after all, your well-being affects everyone around you.

Now is the time to take the first step in investing in yourself–in your health and well-being. Life is short. Why wait? I am here to support you. That’s why I created my Self-Care MasterClass: to share my own journey, help you discover the obstacles standing in the way of your own self-care, and teach you simple strategies for living the life that you want and deserve. Check it out (only $19 for a limited time!) and start feeling better today. My ulterior motive? I have no doubt that the more women there are who feel empowered to live their best lives, the better off the world will be.

 

This blog post was thoughtfully written without the help of AI. For more inspiration and practical tips, check out the Self-Care section of my wellness blog.