It is no secret that the word commitment is the key to our success. This is especially true when it comes to respecting ourselves. We have a tendency to always put others, places and things before ourselves. It has been proven over and over again that when we take time for ourselves it enables us to feel content and motivated.
Why is it that we always come last? Is it due to guilt, low self-esteem, self-sabotaging or just plain laziness? I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday about canceling her gym membership and just taking a walk at the mall after work three times a week. She was not going to the gym and wasting money. Her friends were telling her that as long as she had the gym membership she would exercise. What was missing is the commitment to herself that by exercising she was taking care of herself.
Discussing this challenge with everyone gave her the fuel she needed to live in the problem instead of the solution. After discussing this dilemma for awhile she decided to put on her sneakers and walk around the shopping mall. Seeing her later that night I inquired how she made out. She walked around the mall and the only trouble was that she did some shopping while she was there. Another dilemma; shopping. A suggestion was made to leave her wallet in the car while taking her walk. The question is, “Continue making excuses for not exercising or make a commitment that nothing will stop you from taking care of yourself.”
What I am learning through life experiences that by making a commitment to be kind to myself at all times improves my attitude and enables me to feel contentment, happiness and self-respect. What beautiful gifts I am receiving. I love the following inspirational message and think about it whenever I start living in the problem instead of the solution.
"Every small positive change
we make in ourselves
repays us in confidence
in the future."
Alice Walker
As always, I would love to hear how you are making positive changes in your life.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
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3 comments:
Helen,
It is true, we can find many resaons not to take care of ourselves. The key is that we must be committed to ourselves, through this committment we will be able to fully engage and be there for the other people in our life!
Hi Mark:
I love your wisdom. You are so right, if we are committed to ourselves it is easier to be there for others. Helen
Hi...I came across this site as I was searching for information on why we should respect ourselves. It sounds like something we would do anyway and not have to be reminded, but sometimes, we literally forget about self respect and how important that is. I look at it, or try to look at in in religious or spiritual terms and remember that God created me and that is why I want to respect myself, because if I don't, and that included self care and dignity of all kinds, then I lose touch with God and sink into negativity. Thank you for this place to post.
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