“Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent.

We cannot nurture others from a dry well.

We need to take care of our needs first,

then we can give from our surplus, our abundance.”

                                                           —Jennifer Louden

When you think of self-care, what comes to mind? Does the thought sound appealing, or do you cringe at the idea, since it would be selfish? Most people that I helped over the years felt they would be selfish if they took great care of themselves. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself. It is necessary in order to take care of others. What do you do for

yourself each day? How are you making yourself a priority? If self-care isn’t happening in your life, then what can you delegate, so you make yourself a priority? Do you schedule time for extreme self-care on your calendar at least once a month?

No Guilt for Self-Care

If you feel guilty for putting your needs first, remember that the more you give to yourself, the more you will have to give to others. Many people that I helped over the years did not believe this until they started to notice that the more they gave to themselves, the more they were able to give to others in meaningful ways. As a result, their relationships were much healthier and more fulfilling. Take action each day toward self-care and get ready to enjoy life and your relationships more than ever!

The truth is, in order to be happy and peaceful, extreme self-care is a must! For some, a day of extreme self-care may include: eating well, exercising, reading for twenty minutes, and meditating. For others, their day may include: a walk by the beach, doing something fun, eating well, and watching a good movie at night.

Take five minutes to write your answers to these self-care questions:

• If you were to give yourself a day of extreme self-care, how would you spend the day?
• If you were to create a daily lifestyle of extreme self-care, what would you do for yourself every day?

Good! Now you have some new goals that you can work toward! Begin today to practice extreme self-care!

You deserve to treat yourself very well, at all times!