Thursday, June 4, 2009

Selfish is the New Generous

Often we get wrapped up in doing things for other people. It may be our kids, our family, our community, our employers...and we forget to do things for ourselves.

All of this taking care of others without taking care of ourselves can lead to our being overweight.

It is really important if we want to be our healthiest possible selves that we remember we have to take care of ourselves. I know that we have been taught to put the needs of others before our own...but has that gotten us where we want to be?

Let's think about it from a slightly different angle...rather than thinking we are being selfish by putting our needs first, what if we are actually being GENEROUS by doing so?

When we put ourselves first we are empowering ourselves...we are accepting responsibility for our lives, our feelings, our actions and our results. This is a HUGE gift that we offer the world! No longer are we victims of anyone or anything else.

Now, when we have this attitude it will rub off on the people around us--our kids, our co-workers, our neighbors. By living an example of empowered lives we help empower others. We show them that it is okay...in fact that it is critical to live an empowered life and we therefore give them permission to do the same.

When we take care of ourselves we have more energy to give back to others...so in reality we are helping our employers and our families and so on by helping ourselves first.

I like to remember the message that I hear each and every time I fly...in the event that oxygen masks are required, put your own mask on first BEFORE you assists others--including your small children or elderly relatives.

After all, if we pass out from lack of oxygen--or exhaustion--THEN who will be there to help our loved ones?

Take care of yourself...you will begin to lose weight...and you will be helping others at the same time!

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