Many of us want to help others.

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Our nature is to care for people.

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Whether it is our family, friends, or neighbors.

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Yet often there is one person we often forget about.

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The most important person of all.

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For those who are so focused on being a caretaker, we often forget about ourselves.

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About our own needs.

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And what it takes to recharge our own batteries.

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Sometimes we end up in the role of caretaker not because we want to but because we have to.

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Perhaps we have a child with challenges.

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Or aging parents who require us to devote more time to their well being.

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It does not have to be that it is our profession, yet we can find ourselves in that role regardless.

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Once those responsibilities fall on our shoulders, it can be hard for us.

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It can drain us.

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Without a good support system in place for ourselves, we can feel trapped or stuck.

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And this is precisely the time we need to take care of ourselves.

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The act of self-care is not a selfish act.

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It is the recognition that we need to fill up our own cup in order to be able to help others.

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The others could be anyone.

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Even our clients or business associates.

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There are demands on us every single day.

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Yet most of the time we just shoulder the responsibility and keep going without a thought for what we need to keep going.

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When this happens, we will eventually have a break down.

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We will work until we drop and then we are forced to take time for ourselves.

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Either by choice or by circumstance.

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For when we do not take the time to take care of ourselves, we could experience a break down physically, mentally, or emotionally.

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Rather than waiting for sometime beyond our control to happen that takes us out of the situation, it is far better to find a way to practice self-care when we are in the midst of all that is happening.

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To find our own calm in the eye of chaos.

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Even if it just a few minutes to relax and breathe.

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Or catch a quick nap when we feel tired.

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Perhaps even take a short walk outside to get a break from the pressure of the situation.

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Every situation is different, and every situation has a solution.

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We just need to learn into it to find it for ourselves.

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It might be a hard truth to face, but no one can practice self-care for us.

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The act of taking take of our own needs is truly up to us.

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And life will support us in finding a way to do that.

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Our job is to lean in that direction.

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To at least consider what can we do to fill up our cup?

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When we put our energy in that direction, the solution will come to us.

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Once it does, it is up to us to act on it.

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For ultimately only we can take care of ourselves.

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So what can you do to practice more self-care in your life?

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~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant

Host of The Conscious Consultant Hour