If, or how you care for yourself or indeed if you put yourself first is something so many women struggle with.  

Especially at the moment when so many things need extra care and attention – kiddos, friends and family, work colleagues, remote and/or aging parents – everyone has their moments of SOS.  

A Global Pandemic hasn’t been a ‘thing to deal with‘ on our lists before…

We women, in general, expect to be towards the back of the queue when it comes to looking after ourselves. At the moment particularly, this is a false economy. 

In our eagerness to please and be ‘perfect’ we tend to put others’ needs and wants first, ensuring as far as we can that others are cared for and happy and then, if there’s a shred of energy or attention left, we look at what it is we want and need.

This attitude leads to exhaustion and also leads to unhappiness and frustration. To allow yourself to be important enough to go for what you need – exercise, nutrition, enough sleep, family time, time off, more interesting projects and promotion opportunities – all these and more, only become important and on the radar for others when you make them important.

When you’re on a plane – remember those days – and the crew runs through the safety procedures, one of the instructions is to ‘put your oxygen mask on first’. How can you help those around you if you’re low on oxygen yourself? The irony is often that by forgetting to look after ourselves, we end up needing to be looked after by others. The last thing we were wanting.

So, as we head boldly into 2021 together try to be more clear about what it is you need to feel good, to be healthy and to allow your own precious life-force energy to be as important – no, more important – than others’.

How can you do what you want to do and contribute like you know you can if you’re empty of energy and inspiration because you’ve poured it all away to others?

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.”~ Deborah Day

Do just hit ‘Reply’ and let me know what resonated for you from this brief and reflective note about looking after yourself FIRST.. It’s always good to hear from you and I respond to every comment.

.So our dear Pharaoh was put to sleep the week before Christmas.  I cried and cried the whole weekend having lost him at this tender time for us all and after 3 major ops.  

We were able to sprinkle his ashes where our other 2 past-hounds’ ashes are on New Year’s Eve.  

Here’s the thing, it sounds sad and morbid maybe BUT it felt such a blessing to be able to do that in the same year…soon.  

Immediately after sprinkling Pharaoh’s ashes (within an hour)  – the phone rang and someone asked us about rescuing another hound….  to be continued.

Here’s a photo of Bolly, Gina and Pharaoh back in 2010.  Gone but never forgotten.