Have you ever worried that in doing something incredibly wonderful for yourself, you might appear selfish in the eyes of others? Or might you have suffered pangs of guilt at the thought of actually being selfish when doing something for yourself? Have you ever said “yes” to granting a favor for a friend, when you knew the thing requested was not in your best interest? Even more importantly, have you chosen to delay giving your own unique gifts to the world because you felt obligated to make other peoples’ dreams come true at the cost of your own?
This is a little reminder that self-care is a necessity in a healthy life. Self-care is actually “other-care” because when those we know observe us doing regular self-nurturing they are inspired to do the same for themselves. As a result, dependency wanes, confidence grows and more and more people feel the courage to step into their own power. Yes, when we are loving ourselves and tending to our own nurturing and needs, we are teaching others to have the strength to do the same in their own lives.
If so much good comes from self-care, why doesn’t it come naturally? The answer is in realizing that for self-care to work, we have to begin translating the world from a different perspective, while inviting others in our personal Universe to do the same. This can take time. You may even need help in interpreting what’s actually going on in the communication around you. Begin by letting others know that when you say “yes” you really mean yes, and when you say “no” you really mean no. From there, take a little inventory of the people in your life who have become dependent in unhealthy ways. (The longer the list, the more you feel drained on a day to day basis.) Expect the dependent people to react to your self-care practices with either extreme negativity, or with a request that you come back to your senses and be the person they’ve always known and loved. With time, such people will begin to fall away and those who wish to share happy, equal, balanced and growth-driven relationships will tighten their bonds with you in ways that you never could have imagined. Put YOU first… and watch the magic happen!
About the Author
For the past 20 years, Maryanna Korwitts has researched ancient naming tradition, name etymology, energetic patterns encoded in name spellings, and charted naming trends in our culture. She works with clients worldwide doing name consultations, profiles, and compatibility evaluations.