How To Put Yourself First And Prioritize Your Wellbeing

Do you struggle to put yourself first and, instead, focus more on what others want?

Many people struggle to prioritize their mental health which can lead to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. You might find it difficult to focus on your wellbeing, and if so, you’re not alone.

In today’s world, we hear a lot about self-care, but it’s much more than just a buzzword. It teaches you how to form healthy habits, set boundaries, communicate your needs, and much more. It also allows you to stand in your truth and develop strong relationships that make you feel fulfilled.

If you want to learn how to put yourself first, here are a few ways to help you get started.

Reassess Your Self-Talk

If you find it difficult to put yourself first, then you might also be hard on yourself when you make mistakes or encounter failure. Instead of understanding that failure is a normal part of life, you use it to talk down to yourself and compare yourself to others. But all this does is wear down your confidence and self-esteem.

It’s crucial to pay attention to the way you speak to yourself as this helps you practice self-awareness and make healthier decisions. Instead of beating yourself up for saying or doing the wrong thing, you can make room for forgiving yourself and move forward more easily.

It helps to keep a journal to assess your self-talk and see where your head's at. What are your recurring thoughts? Are they negative and self-deprecating, or are they positive and uplifting? You can learn a lot by observing your thoughts and realizing where you could use more self-compassion and understanding.

Accept What You Can’t Control

For many people, especially overthinkers, it’s difficult not to worry about things they have no control over. It’s a great source of anxiety that can cause stress, heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, and other unpleasant symptoms.

The sooner you learn how to accept the things that are out of your control, the quicker it’ll be to adopt a healthier mindset. Give yourself permission to think and feel authentically without making excuses. Allow yourself to be who you are without believing you need to change for others’ approval. Set a goal to accept yourself because those who care about you will appreciate that about you.

Leave your worries behind and put your energy towards improving your mental health and assessing your needs and boundaries. If it helps, create a list of things you do have control over so you know that everything else doesn’t need to be stressed about.

Add Self-Care to Your Daily Routine

While “self-care days” are a great way to relax and pamper yourself, self-care is much more than a luxury. If anything, it’s a necessity. Without it, you can’t fully appreciate yourself for who you are and what you bring to the table. That’s why it’s important to practice it every single day.

There are many ways you can add more self-care to your daily routine:

• Adopt better sleep habits. Go to bed at a time where you’re guaranteed eight hours so you have enough time to feel rested for the day ahead.

• Eat healthier foods. Your mental health is directly tied to your gut health, so eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water is essential.

• Exercise. You don’t have to do a serious workout every single day, but stretching and moving your body every day helps you feel better. Something as simple as a 10 minute walk can make all the difference in how you feel so you’re able to put yourself first.
• Talk to loved ones. A huge part of taking care of yourself is maintaining the relationships with those you care about. It’s important to stay in touch regularly to continue that connection with friends and family.

Your Turn

It might be difficult at first to get used to saying “no,” setting boundaries, developing better habits, and more. But doing these things are a game-changer for prioritizing your wellbeing and improving your overall health. How will you put yourself first starting today?