Why You Must Make Caring for Yourself a Priority in the Season of Giving

If the well is dry and there is no water, everyone will be thirsty.

I don’t know about you, but I hate the preachy way women are told to prioritize self-care. I often feel like I’m being scolded for not having a “caring for me” item on my to-do list. On the other hand, I also feel like I do need to be reminded that if I want to care for others, I can’t neglect caring for myself. It’s like what they tell you before your flight takes off: you have to put your oxygen mask on before helping someone put theirs on. In other words, you won’t do anyone any good if you’re asphyxiating. 

This holiday season, I’m not interested in adding another task to my list; I’ve got enough to do already. Instead, I’m creating a balance sheet.

On one side: Everything I’m doing for my loved ones.

On the other side: Everything I’m doing to support myself.

Everything I’m doing for the ones I love		Everything I’m doing for me.
Buying gifts that show how well I know them and care for them		Making time several days a week to read
Planning what we’ll eat and who we’ll invite for holiday dinners		Getting to the gym or outside to relieve stress with movement
Decorating the inside and outside of the house		Buying myself a lil “treat” that makes me feel good about myself

All that to say, if you want to show the ones you love how much you care, you first have to make caring for yourself a priority.

What are your favourite ways to show yourself some TLC? Let us know in the comments!