It’s the standard safety speech we hear on every flight we take. “Place the mask over your own mouth first before assisting others.” With a little thought, that makes perfect sense. It would be difficult to assist someone else if you were devoid of oxygen. And the person your assisting may not be able to assist you in return.
I see so many of us rushing through our day, shuttle this kid to an activity, working on a deadline for our job, heading up a committee for the HOA or PTA, kids to bed and the email gets fired back up. We’ve spent our whole day working for and serving others, only to leave ourselves empty, anxious, and in some cases feeling frankly unfulfilled.
Why is our day-to-day life much different than that in flight emergency or emergency scenario? Feel empowered to help yourself first, carve out part of your day that is for YOU. Consider going for a walk/run, getting to a yoga class or hit the gym, or perhaps 10 min of sitting quietly on a park bench. Maybe it’s choosing to use that 20 min at night to meal prep versus slaving away at emails. In this fast paced circus we have found ourselves in, it’s time to put YOU first. When you do, you’ll be able to assist those around you better.
