Doing homework until one in the morning, overthinking every small thing you said, comparing yourself to those around you–we’ve all been there. The common thread amongst all of these is that they are all a choice. You CHOOSE to do homework instead of sleeping. You CHOOSE to overthink instead of giving yourself grace. You CHOOSE to tear yourself down though comparisons. All of these choices lead to a hectic and unsatisfactory lifestyle. Instead, I will show you ways to combat these unwanted situations, and how to put your mental and physical health above all else. 

Overcoming Feelings

Overcoming the unsettling feelings is the most difficult part in trying to choose yourself. These feelings include selfishness and other feelings that correlate to feeling like you are choosing one thing over another. According to Gratitude – The Life Blog, anything that has to do with yourself, easily becomes seen as a selfish task. However, putting yourself first does not need to follow this set standard. Changing the mindset you see this task as can help you to start putting yourself above other situations. Putting yourself first should be seen as putting your health above other inadequate matters. Overcoming the feelings of selfishness is the first step in choosing yourself for the long-run in life.

Discover Interests

Now, you have already decided to put yourself first, but how do you do that? Well, discovering what you want to do can lead you to that ultimate goal of peace and well-being. Now, there are many different things to do in this vast world, but there are recommendations for things you can do! The only guideline to follow is that the activity you choose should benefit your mental, physical, or emotional health. So, scrolling on Tik Tok or just procrastinating work probably aren’t the best solutions to your problem. But, doing something you actually enjoy, that won’t make you feel worse about yourself, will help you to overcome your unsatisfactory feelings. Personally, I like to scrapbook and spend time with my loved ones. Scrapbooking helps to remind me what I am grateful for since I put pictures of me and my many adventures. Spending time with loved ones helps to reset your mind and realize how many people love you for you. To help with physical health, I recommend going and exercising. This exercise does not have to be very long or strenuous, but it just needs to change your mindset. You could go and do an enduring and muscular workout, or you could simply walk around outside for a bit. For your emotional health, you could try and work on setting boundaries so that you don’t feel like you need to say “yes” to everything that comes your way. Setting boundaries is one of the most effective methods if you want to put yourself first. You can start doing this by practicing saying “no” when you don’t want to do something or speaking up when you feel uncomfortable in a situation. No matter what you do, try and do it for yourself.

Sticking To It

This is by far the most difficult part because you may have good days along with bad ones. But, sticking to your interests and boundaries will be the most beneficial to you in the long run. Many people nowadays don’t put themselves first, and learning how to stick with it places you in the most secure position for your future. To stick with it, try to start small and build your way up. This will help you gradually make this a part of your daily routine. Also, try to make it fun and game-like. This helps me to stick with it, in hopes of a prize or treat at the end. 

All-in-all, please take your health seriously and learn to put you and your needs first in life. If you take anything from this article, let it be that you and your health matter and putting yourself first is not something to be ashamed about or frowned upon. Give yourself grace and be kind to yourself–you deserve it!