Treat Yourself Better

I read a tweet that said, “None of us are getting out of here alive, so stop treating yourself like an afterthought.”

But then I thought, where do you start? Look inwards, I figured. Your mind and soul might be starving for internal attention. Pay attention to what you need. Restlessness.  Lethargy.  Emptiness. These are constant signs that you should get to live differently. Well, at least for me they are. So dare to pursue things that feel your heart space.

Take an evening walk. Walk in the sunshine. Don’t forget your sunscreen though. Workout often. Believe me, nurturing your body reciprocates aliveness to your body, mind, and soul. Spend some time on your skin. Cleansing and moisturizing are therapeutic. Have a good meal. Cut off the filler food that always leaves you opening the fridge one too many times. Trust me there is real joy in eating a hearty meal. Eat what you crave but in moderation.

Redecorate or re-arrange your workspace, your bedroom…It will feel warm and inviting. Organize your closet. Declutter too. Because “More things don’t make you feel more alive. Yet feeling more alive is part of fulfilling your true self.” –Oprah Winfrey.

Learn a new craft. Create something in your own little ways. Curl up in a cozy spot and read a good book. Listen to a podcast that cracks you up. An audiobook that exposes you and gives you access to reach higher ground.  Buy a journal. Write about your ideas, your favorite/least favorite moments, new songs that you have discovered, your passions, your fears, favorite quotes and what they mean to you, how the clouds looked like …Scribble all over. It is your canvas. Re-read your journal 1 month, 1 year, and 10 years later. Everything in that journal somehow builds you up to who you are.

Give yourself time to just be. Decompress your mind and body. Sleep until your body wants to wake up. Spend the whole day in your pajamas. Watch a movie. Re-watch your favorite shows. Pick up the phone only when you want to.

Say yes to new experiences. Say yes even when you are afraid. Say yes when you do not know where to start or what to do. The yes theory guarantees you a life of possibility and growth out of your comfort zone. Try it sometime.

Say no when need be. There is no need to please anyone if your intention of saying yes is so that people think you are nice. They might get angry or disappointed when you say no, but that does not take away the fact that you are a nice person (whether you say yes or no).

Work hard in your career. Allow yourself to evolve within your career. I mean do not limit your career path to what you studied or to what society expects it to be. It can be more than you could ever think of or imagine.

Be spiritual. Be intentional. Remember that you are more than your body and mind. Remember that you are a part of the energy of creation. Therefore, keep your spirit whole. Keep your spirit connected to this energy. Other things will then fall into place. “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Be in the moment. Resist projecting to the future sometimes. Resist lamenting the past. Draw in a deep breath and release. Now try to focus on now- the only moment you can be certain about. Practice gratitude. There is a blessing in every day you are alive. Remember, what you focus on expands. Whatever it is you are grateful for, it will come back ten-folds and in all kinds of ways.

Love more. The world vibrates with love. Dare to tap into it. It is not always going to be wrapped up in the way tonnes of movies dramatize it. It will however manifest in so many profound ways. Open your heart to recognize it.

Play harder. Go on a road trip. Alone or with someone you love. While at it, observe. While at it, admire the view. Even with your two left feet, dance all night long. Party like a rock star. Visit other towns. Spend hours talking to your friends. Spend time with people who uplift, people who make you better, people who genuinely care, and people who feel like home. Jump off the ocean. Play video games with strangers. Run through a forest. Scream all you want there. Play the games you played as a child. Recreate old photographs. Take lots of pictures of yourself in different phases of your life. Pictures of places you have been. Pictures of people you love. Forget the quality of your camera.

Adventure. Only in a way that keeps you alive. Because adventure is not necessarily backpacking through Africa or bungee jumping at Victoria falls or zip lining in Kereita Forest. Oprah describes it best. “The biggest thrill you can ever achieve is to live the life of your dreams.”

To sum it up, fill your cup first. Nurture yourself first. Take care of your needs first. I know it might seem selfish to treat yourself better, to prioritize yourself, but is it possible to pour from an empty cup?