Why Sustainable Success Requires Self Care
If you’re a highly motivated, ambitious and driven individual like me you likely have your sights set on accomplishing big things in your personal and professional life. You tend to work yourself to the very edges of burnout before you stop to take a break. It’s unlikely that you take time off when you need it simply because rest or play seems unproductive to you and it feels like self care isn’t even an option. Your life is so filled with things to do and people to take care of that fantasizing about what life could be like once you’re “successful” only exists in an out of reach vacation so you settle for daydreaming. How do I know this? Because I used to be you.
I used to think that being a successful, responsible adult meant:
👉🏻 over working
👉🏻 staying busy
👉🏻 feeling stressed
👉🏻 taking care of others
👉🏻 accomplishing tasks
👉🏻 making money
👉🏻 doing it all
But the lessons I have learned stand in stark contrast to what I have lived my entire life believing was “productive”, “useful” and “responsible.”
☀️Be present
☀️Slow WAY down
☀️T R U S T
☀️Feel deeply
☀️Play more
☀️Spend time in nature
☀️Be spontaneous
☀️Celebrate often
☀️Have FUN
I used to think all of these things were childish and irresponsible. What’s irresponsible is not taking care of myself. What’s irresponsible is not honoring my feelings. It’s irresponsible to ignore my body’s messages and living each day in my head and missing the present moment where life is actually being lived. What’s irresponsible is thinking I have to constantly be “on the go” and trying to impress others with accomplishments that hold no significant value to me. It’s irresponsible to say yes when I want to say no and continue to do things that drain my energy and leave me depleted. What’s irresponsible is to not ENJOY the ONE LIFE & BODY I have been given.
When sacrificing my desires and dreams in order to appease or please someone who doesn’t have to live in my skin, I am NOT the version of success I aim to achieve. I have learned that doing the things I thought were childish are actually the most responsible things I can do. To take care of myself first allows me to take care of the rest of life’s requirements.
So, what is self care?
Honestly, it can look different to everyone. Self care is defined as “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.” That does not just mean physical health either. We are talking physical, mental, emotional and spiritual as well because that’s what creates a whole self. Our ability to take quality care of ourselves is directly proportional to our ability to meet the high demands of a stressful life, much less be able to thrive in it. So, if self care is supposed to preserve and improve our bodies, minds and souls, why are so many people NOT doing it?! Here are my best tips and tricks of things to include in your self care routine.
The Fuel
When you are piecing together a way to improve yourself, you need to start with what is going into your body. Think about food as fuel. We need to make sure that we are fueling our bodies for success! We can eat nutrient rich foods so that we can give our bodies the ingredients they need to preserve our being. But just one meal isn’t enough! Making sure to feed ourselves regularly is just as important. Eat those meals! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are crucial to you because it provides you the energy to get through the day.
Participation Points
When starting a journey to really improve self help, you don’t have to be alone! Participating in a community is a great way to feed your socialization while also helping you improve YOU! This can lead to great opportunities to try new things while maintaining contact with valued others. Additionally, you can use this as a way to practice saying no. Being in a group can come with the feeling of needing to take on extra responsibilities that lead to stress and have the opposite effect of our self help! Being able to say no, and only take on what you can handle comfortably is a top priority in self care.
Prioritize YOU
This is the big one. So many people forget that at the end of the day, self care is about the self, about you! If you get enough sleep, then you are prioritizing your body and mind! Let me say that again for work, workout, repeat people. People that prioritize their body and mind GET ENOUGH SLEEP! Then your body needs that time to heal and get you ready for the next day.
All of this may seem a little overwhelming at first, especially if you are new to the self-care journey. That is why I’ve created the Secret to Sustainable Success training for you to help you assess your current level of self care and provide you with practical steps to reclaim what it means to be truly successful! The best part is… it’s FREE! Join me August 24, 2021 at 7pm EST. Now, click that link below and unlock my signature process for taking better care of YOU!
http://torigordon.com/the-secret-to-sustainable-success
August 17, 2021
