Why You Need to Always Make Yourself Your Top Priority
No one has more control over making you happy than you do. You can go a long way toward making yourself happy on a daily basis if you always work toward making yourself your own top priority.
By Jolie Glassman
Guest writer
Strategically placed in a spot where I can see it and be reminded of it several times a day, I have a tattoo that serves as something of a compass for my direction in life. First, there is the word “HONOR” in bold, block lettering. The rest of the tattoo, however, is the most significant and substantive part, and it is the detail that I use to guide most of my decisions throughout the day. It is an arrow that unmistakably points back at myself. I can bob and weave and lean to the sides, but in my mind’s eye, I am always the intended target of that arrow. The arrow pointedly reminds me that I always honor myself first, so I am able to honor others.
Tips for making decisions that will make you happy and a top priority
You simply cannot be at your best if you are not making yourself happy and fulfilled with the choices that you make throughout the day. If you are not fully happy, how will you ever be able to make others around you happy? If you do not feel good about something and you are not 100 percent invested in it, how can you ever get clients to feel as passionately about it? The only person out there whom you can trust to always make you a top priority is yourself, so why stray from that mission in your everyday life?
Know That You Are Enough and Believe in Yourself
Self-confidence can be an elusive trait sometimes. Give yourself pep talks if needed, exude confidence, and always believe in yourself that you will get the job done. Remember to stop and celebrate your successes, no matter how small they are, and know that any progress is still progress. You are enough, and you have got this.
Take Time to Look Inward
If you are always thinking of the needs of others and working to accomplish tasks that will benefit those around you, you are ultimately doing a disservice to yourself and your own wants and needs. Remember, if you are unhappy or unsatisfied, the work that you do will ultimately be substandard and unfulfilling. Take time for yourself, treat yourself, and make sure that your wants and needs are always at the top of the list. Make yourself happy first and foremost, and you might be surprised how much more productive you become in positively impacting others around you.
Take Care of No. 1
Remember, it is likely that no one is ever going to consistently make you and your feelings a top priority more than you, so be sure to always take care of No. 1. Yes, that phraseology can sometimes have a negative connotation, but you should always be in control of doing what makes you the happiest. If pampering yourself makes you happy, do it. If carving out time for yourself on a daily basis is needed, do it so that you can be at peace with yourself.
Do Not Do Anything That You Do Not Want to Do
This might sound like an extreme mission, but that is the point of this entire exercise of making yourself happy. Giving yourself the permission to decline unenviable options can be extremely freeing. Trust your gut on this one and stay true to who you are and what you want. Then, you will be able to better delineate between things that are merely inconvenient and those that cause you to stray completely from who you are as a person.
Do Not Let Guilt Guide You
We have all had those times where we have done unenviable things simply because of our guilty consciences or because of the guilt that others have projected upon us. Ultimately, being a slave to this mentality usually makes you feel worse about yourself in the end. Taking care of yourself is not a bad thing. Being perceived as selfish often carries an unfair negative connotation, but when you own your needs and fulfill those requirements, you make yourself happier and a better person in the long run. Prioritize your happiness and you will finally be able to escape the guilt.
Stop Saying ‘Yes’ to Everyone and Everything
This can be the most liberating and empowering step to finally reclaiming your life. It can change the course of your life and make you a much happier person when you tell people ‘no’ from time to time. Taking charge of your decisions helps you make yourself more of a priority.
Nourish Your Mind and Body
Your body needs rest, exercise, food, and comfort to function at its peak. Similarly, your mind needs stimulation, rest, and positive thoughts to work in harmony with your body. There is a direct correlation between what we put into our bodies and the performance they give back to us. And with our minds, our thoughts so often dictate our direction. Positive thoughts often beget success and happiness. Always remember that your body and your mind cannot function together at their peak if they are neglected. Get the rest, recovery, and fuel that your body and mind need, and they will reward you with good results.
Indulge Yourself (However You Like to Do That)
This does not have to be expensive or exotic; just find something that you can do for yourself that makes you happy and be diligent in doing it regularly. Remember, your happiness and satisfaction in getting all that you can out of this life are non-negotiable. Do what makes you happiest.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
Yes, you are an important person of whom much is expected, but do not turn yourself into a martyr who cannot accept help from others. There is no shame in asking for help, and you might be surprised how willing people are to assist. Remember this phrase and repeat it back to yourself throughout the day if needed: “All you can do is all you can do.” Do not be afraid to assign tasks to others, and be willing to ask for help when you need it.
Spread Positivity and Happiness
No one likes being around persistent negativity because it drags down morale and drains energy. Positive energy can be infectious, so always think of yourself as a fountain and not a drain. Happiness and positivity beget happiness and positivity. Exude positivity, and you will become the type of person others want to work with and be around on a daily basis.
You must always remain your top priority. I live my life accordingly. As the meaning of my tattoo unmistakably reminds me each time I look at it throughout the day: “Honor Me.” If I follow that direct order, everything else in my life falls into place and I present the best version of myself to others. My job as a motivator requires a lot of myself (sometimes exhaustingly so), and therefore I must feel whole, confident, and personally fulfilled to be at my best for my clients.
Jolie Glassman has been the owner and operator of South Beach Boxing since 1998. Her goal is to make everyone she comes in contact with, through both friendships and working relationships, feel better about themselves and more confident about their lives. Jolie lives to impact and transform the lives of others through fitness, specifically boxing fitness. Spend a few minutes with Jolie and you undoubtedly will be swept up in her passion and infectious energy to be better and feel good about yourself.
source website: the odyssey online