6 TIPS TO MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY

Unlike what others are programmed to believe, it is not selfish to make yourself a priority. Doing so will help a person stay more of service to other people. We often hear that we should love ourselves before we can love others. The same is true when you start prioritizing yourself.

When you make yourself a priority you will feel happier and more motivated toward your essential goals in life. You can also give more to others because you feel satisfied with what you have and feel contentment.

Why is prioritizing yourself important?

Ensuring you are not abandoning yourself is another whole meaning of personal improvement. Being there for yourself by making sure that you are paying attention to your needs is an important aspect of self-love.

Making yourself a priority is important in maintaining and building healthy relationships with other people. Prioritizing oneself also means that you are ready to stop the things or circumstances that are not serving you. Making yourself a priority is an act of self-love in which you consciously try to improve yourself and your life as a whole.

Making yourself a priority starts when you take charge of your life.

Making a decision and working for it is one way to make yourself a priority. Not everyone is strong enough to take charge of their life, as they fear making important decisions for themselves. 

Some are afraid to make decisions because they are not ready to face the responsibilities accompanying them. But not being able to make yourself brave enough to make decisions and actions indicates that you are allowing others to take away your power.

It may seem scary to fully make yourself accountable for your life. But every temporary defeat is just another opportunity to learn. Success will feel more rewarding when you know that it is your initiative that helped you achieve it. 

Make yourself a priority by deciding for yourself. Living on your terms with less concern for others will make you feel happy and fulfilled. 

Learn to set boundaries.

Surprisingly, setting boundaries is tough. Especially if you are a people pleaser, for some, their inability to say no is their way of protecting their self-image. They believe other people will stop liking or loving them if they stop responding to their requests. This is not the only circumstance wherein a person with no boundaries finds themselves. Sometimes, not setting a boundary can also mean allowing other people’s negativity to ruin your mind and emotion.

If we do not set clear limits, we will always find ourselves affected by other people’s beliefs about us, especially if those beliefs can be detrimental to our peace of mind. By making yourself a priority, you allow yourself to set healthy boundaries. This way, we can take more control of our life, thoughts, and feelings by understanding when it is okay to say yes, no, and never mind. By setting healthy limits, it is easier to feel more comfortable with ourselves and our expectations.

Make yourself a priority by doing what you love.

Nothing beats genuine happiness whenever we do something out of love. A person making herself a priority chooses the courage to do things she loves to do. She refuses to let other people run her life and decide how she will live it. 

The same things happen to me. Others may raise their brows when I choose not to pursue a career that will make me more money in the future. Believe me, it is not easy to go against people’s expectations, but it doesn’t have to matter because it is your life. And it would be best to do what makes you happy as long as it won’t hurt other people.

 We should choose our passion first and do good with it; money will soon follow. Money makes our lives comfortable, but it can’t bring true happiness if we seek it through a job or doing things against our beings. No money is worth our joy and our peace of mind.

Make yourself a priority by respecting yourself.

You cannot appreciate your importance if a lack of self-love and self-respect blinds you. Self-respect only happens when we love ourselves enough to make decisions that would continuously improve ourselves. When we practice self-respect, we recognize our importance as a person and realize that our needs and well-being are also essential. Self-respect makes us ready to listen to ourselves and identify our values. Sometimes we face difficult life decisions that mask temporary happiness that can sometimes end up hurting us. 

Self-respect also means prioritizing self-care. Taking care of ourselves is one way to promote making ourselves a priority and listening to our body, and giving rest when it should be given.

Making yourself a priority means making time for yourself.

Intentionally making time for yourself or your life sends the message that you prioritize yourself and care for your needs. Because when you are making time for yourself, you are making sure that you prioritize your happiness and self-improvement.

 Making time for yourself means having a guilt-free rest, paying attention to self-care, and doing things that make you happy. With time, you can explore activities or hobbies that can bring happiness, peace, and fulfillment.

Celebrating your wins

Celebrating your achievements, no matter how big or small, reminds you that you deserve recognition for your efforts. Because when you are continuously celebrating your progress, you grow more inspired, giving you a positive feeling such as happiness and satisfaction.

We prioritize ourselves when we give ourselves a chance to be appreciated, even if sometimes we are just doing the celebration silently. 

Final thoughts on making yourself a priority

Putting yourself first is needed to maintain a healthy balance in our life. That is why we should change the belief that allowing ourselves to be prioritized is selfish.

Making yourself a priority is a foundation for a happier and more fulfilling life. You improve your life and the lives of people around you. Be good to yourself; remember that you deserve love, respect, and attention.

Yes, we should be compassionate with others. Still, we must also not forget that we matter, and how we feel determines the outcome of many things. If we feel good about ourselves, we make good and confident decisions.  

Light and love,