Help a Friend by Helping Yourself First
“Before you help others, always put on your own oxygen mask first.”
In order to help others, you must first help yourself. You always want to be there for a friend in need, but you can’t always be at the top of your game to do that if you aren’t there emotionally for yourself first. Once you have yourself on solid ground and can help others around you, they, in turn, will most likely be there for you when you need help.
Help Yourself First
There are so many things you can do to take care of yourself, both emotionally and physically. This can be something as regimented as getting yourself on — and sticking to — a strict routine if that’s what you know will help, or just tying up loose ends that have been dangling forever like a monkey on your back. The following list might help:
- Get enough sleep.
- Exercise 30 minutes a day.
- Start going to yoga or meditating.
- Eat healthy, making sure you include eating something for breakfast.
- Set boundaries for yourself and say no to someone who is demanding too much of your time.
- Get your hair cut.
- Clean your room.
- Take a walk every day.
- Donate clothes you no longer wear to charity.
- Create a new space in your home, just for you.
- Buy yourself some new clothes.
- Clean your refrigerator.
- See a movie you’ve been wanting to see.
- Go to the library.
- Try a new recipe.
- Set up auto-pay for your bills.
- Try to put $20 a week in your savings account.
- Send a thank you card.
- Shine your shoes.
- Curl up with your cat.
- Walk your dog.
- Water your plants.
- Buy yourself some flowers.
Be Positive
When your self-confidence has been shaken, you can’t help yourself or others. You have every right to be proud of who you are, as you are. Don’t be influenced by what others say, especially if it makes you doubt your own sense of self-worth. Avoid negative people. They will only try to bring you down to see the world from their point of view, even when their outlook on life has nothing to do with you.
It’s not healthy to let yourself be down all the time. It can lead to long-term depression and resentment of others who are in a good place in their lives. Eventually you’ll stop wanting to do good for yourself or others. You can only make a positive impact on your world if you are in a positive place with yourself, and sometimes this takes work.
No matter how hard it seems, if you keep trying to deflect negativity in your life and surround yourself instead with things and people who are positive, you will reach a place where you are happy with yourself. It’s at this point where you become strong enough to help others without compromising your own self-worth. Boost your self-esteem, boost your outlook on the world.
