10 Simple Ways To Make Yourself A Priority

You deserve to make yourself a priority. You may think this sounds selfish, but it’s not. Putting yourself first means that your cup is full (or overflowing) and you can share with others. If you don’t take care of you nobody else will! Here are 10 ways to make yourself a priority.

1. Practice self-care.

The phrase “self-care” is thrown around a lot. What does it actually mean? Well, it’s a way to make yourself a priority or put yourself first. It’s making sure your needs are being met and it’s nourishing yourself. Practically, it may look like getting enough sleep, doing something you enjoy like reading a book, and cooking yourself a nice meal.

2. Rest.

This is one of the most important ways to make yourself a priority. We live in a world where we all go-go-go without stopping. We get burnt out, but we still don’t slow down. It’s so crucial to rest. It rejuvenates you and keeps you sane. Scheduling it into your calendar is very helpful, too. Whatever you need to do to make it happen in your life, do it!

3. Ask for help.

You’re not a superhero. You can’t do it all alone. Please don’t try! You don’t have to, you can have help. You just have to ask for it. For some people, this is a really hard pill to swallow. Their pride is too big. If this is you just think about how you feel when someone asks you for help. Are you mad, or are you glad that you’re able to help them?

4. Schedule your needs into your day.

It’s so easy to say “yes” to a million things, all of a sudden filling your calendar, leaving you with no room to breathe. This isn’t good. Take time to schedule in certain needs. Give yourself enough time to go to bed. Take a walk during your lunch break. Leave space to clean your apartment on the weekends. You’ll thank yourself later for carving out pockets of time.

5. Say “no” more.

Perhaps my favorite suggestion, saying “no” is a way to put yourself first. Initially, it may sound selfish, but I promise it can be so good for you. Turning down others sometimes means you’re saying “yes” to yourself. Maybe you’re exhausted from a long week and a friend asks you to go out. It sounds fun, but really you just want to go home. Don’t people-please, say “no!”

6. Listen to your intuition.

There’s a voice deep inside you that knows what’s up. It knows what you want and need and it can help you get it. You just have to give it some space to breathe by treating yourself well. From there, you can take directions from that voice to lead you towards a healthier you. Listen to your gut above just about anything else.

7. Get outside of your comfort zone.

You don’t have to do this all of the time (unless you want to), but once in awhile get outside of that comfort zone of yours! Do something crazy or do something just a little bit out of the norm for you. This will energize you and help give you purpose, leaving you feeling connected to the stream of life.

8. Speak kindly to yourself.

I’m guessing you aren’t all that kind to yourself. You give yourself a hard time and you’re always expecting more from yourself. Try being gentle with yourself. It does not happen overnight, but you can slowly introduce kindness into your daily practice. Remember what your strengths are, practice gratitude for what you do have, and let yourself off the hook when you make a mistake.

9. Write down things you’re grateful for.

It may sound cheesy, but gratitude really works! Studies show it actually improves your physical and psychological health. The act of actually putting on paper (or on your phone) what you’re grateful for helps you to remember all the good things you have in your life. It helps you look on the bright side of life.

10. Take a break from dating if appropriate and possible.

This suggestion isn’t for everyone. If you’re in a successful relationship, I’m happy for you. However, if you’ve had difficulties dating or even if you haven’t, it can be good to take a break. Focusing on you reminds you what really matters to you. It’s getting all of your time back and you get to decide how to spend it. It’s also giving your heart a break to make sure your needs are being met.