Knowing When To Put Your Happiness First

Does anyone actually know the importance of taking care of yourself first, even if most of our human nature tells us to put everyone else before ourselves? I have learned the hard way that sometimes you have to put your happiness and health first. It’s almost like rocket science isn’t it? 

If I think that the things that make me happy may hurt someone or cause an inconvenience, I almost 99% of the time will not do it. It’s hard to comprehend that sometimes, just because making other people happy also makes me happy, I can’t always put my sanity at risk to make sure everyone else has what they need. I am important too. YOU are important too! 

You have got to make time to focus on your own health and wellness. Doing even a small gesture for yourself or doing something you know will make you happy is so important for personal growth, mental stability, and emotional awareness. We all have lives and responsibilities that will create a way for us to make an excuse to not do something we planned for ourselves. Make time to do that workout, cook your favorite meal, splurge and watch seven episodes of your favorite Netflix series, wind down and spend way too much time in the bathtub with a glass of wine, eat that second piece of cake, do what your heart desires without thinking of what everyone else wants from you. 

All of these priorities, responsibilities, and tasks that we take on need to come second to our health and happiness. It’s how you keep your sanity, and we all need a healthy level of sanity to make it in this world. It is okay to for once, or every now and then, think about what could make YOU the happiest, what is the best option for you versus what is the best option for other people. 

I learned the hard way that everyone is going to make their own decisions anyways and most likely, they will be doing it in their best interest, but when your happiness begins to fade because you are continuously worried about others, it’s a problem. If you feel it’s best for you and your growth as a person, you owe it yourself to explore your passions regardless of the opinions of others. 

I can’t begin to explain how many times I physically, mentally, and spiritually put my happiness at stake just to make other people happy. Do something for yourself, that is okay to do even if it seems like a crime every now and then. 

Most people will jump at the opportunity to spend all this time or money on someone else but then hesitate to spend that same time or money on themselves. Why is that? You can be kind, loving, supportive, reliable, but you have to know when it is beginning to affect you in a negative way. You know what is best for you and sometimes that may hurt people, that may upset people, but you can’t live life without hurting a few feelings. 

I’ve gotten to a point where, before I make choices, I will take a second to ask myself if it will make me happy. Am I doing this to benefit other people at the expense of my own happiness? I do stupid things all the time, but it makes me happy, so I’ve decided to not care what others think of me and that is a huge step in taking care of yourself. 

You cannot live to please other people. Go to sleep early, eat a decent meal, skip that sixth cup of coffee, attempt to not have a mental breakdown. Taking care of yourself comes in all different ways, it can get deep and emotional, or can simply just be taking healthier steps for yourself. 

All I’m saying is that it really sucks when people don’t want to put you at the top of their priority list, so you have to put yourself at the top of your own priority list! You can still help others while you are making sure your happiness is still a part of your everyday goals. Your happiness is important. Be giving, loving, supportive, etc. but above all else, make sure what you are doing and the choices you are making are bringing you genuine happiness.

• health
• mental health
• self-care