Worry About Yourself
Kimberly Sweeney: March 21, 2017-A Repost from an Old Blog Site I No Longer Have (and how the message still applies today!)
Kids, albeit tiny and cute, can put us in our place when we need it the most. I like to think of it as God's "little" way of keeping me in check. More often than not, my daughter has stopped me in my tracks or stunned me to silence with her infinite words of wisdom (despite the fact she's usually not asked to share them). But isn't that when we need to hear them the most? When aren't they requested? Aren't those profound one-liners often slap us right back into reality when we have gone too long living in the fantasy or fear of goals? I am inspired to write this post from a Facebook video I saw recently. It is of a toddler trying desperately to buckle her seatbelt. While the driver looks on and generously asks if she needs help, this little ball of wild hair and sass replies repeatedly with "NO! No, thank you. Worry about yourself."
This is a gentle reminder from the mouth of an innocent child regarding the importance of taking time to worry and care for your own needs.
The problem with this is you are committed to the “things” and others but in order to sustainably pour into that you need to be committed to the most critical thing in your life: YOURSELF.
Self-care is a complex concept to embrace as a woman. We are taught to put others before ourselves, innately programmed to be givers and of service.
We take pride in an accomplished to-do list, a successful career, and a healthy, flourishing family.
But at what cost?
Now, let me open a can of super honesty and say-while I TEACH this concept – I also struggle at times to embody it. You've heard the phrase: "Listen and Silent have the same letters." There is so much powerful truth behind this. Because to truly LISTEN, you must remain SILENT. Being SILENT allows you to hear what you truly need for yourself.
It's easy to get sucked into the hustle mindset of "if I do more, I will have more______" when in reality, it's costing us our health and happiness.
The endless cycle of waiting for a better time, taking care of everyone else, and surviving daily with hopes things get easier after ABC happens.
The truth: the grind of survival laced with dreams of joy and fulfillment won't stop until you take time to worry about yourself.
Embracing transformation requires a lot of risks. I say transformation instead of change because change can be temporary. You change your shoes. You change the sheets on your bed. You change your hair color. But when you transform, you transcend your full power and spectacular self into what it is MEANT to be by doing what you are MEANT to do by actually DOING LESS!
Strategically working smarter, not harder, and taking time for yourself provides. You have the resilience, energy, and skill to get through brick walls that will undoubtedly be built unexpectedly along your transformation pathway.
One of those brick walls will be what I call the “others.
The “others” are the people and things that distract you from remaining focused on your path. They are those people, places, and something to which you willingly give your energy and time instead of savoring it for your own needs.
This needs to be more distracting and ultimately counterproductive. When we allow ourselves an unlimited amount of time and space, we get so wrapped up in others we lose sight and energy of where we are going. Hence-distracted from our path. The solution to this??
Making life transformation decisions can be scary…hell, it can be downright paralyzing at times. But it is required to embrace and make the most of our infinite and limitless power to be unstoppable and successful in WHATEVER it is we want to do.
WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF! A Pep Talk:
You cannot worry about someone else's actions, eating, feeling, or even thinking. You cannot care what they think of me or my goals and the pathway you choose to take them. Does this make you less of a friend? Of course not! You can support, have a concern, gain guidance and advice (from trusted individuals-which indeed, should be limited to three), and care for other people..but you cannot obsess. You cannot invest energy in their direction because it is not mine. You have your purpose. Your path. Your point and your outcome to focus. You can only control yourself and your response, action, and plan for your transformation. Brick walls will continue to pop up, and you need to be silent and listen to adjust, adapt, and overcome.
Whatever it is you want in life is already present. Professional promotions, a new body, a new house, a new partner, a new pair of Jimmy Choo high-heeled shoes….they already exist for you. How do you achieve them?? WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF! Focus on your day-to-day direction to get what you want out of life. Life is hard, but we are harder. We lose our power when we allow distractions that are not in line with our goals. Take a breath, be silent and listen. Worry about yourself and jump in with both feet. Even if the waters cold-swim hard-you'll warm up.
