Last week, the Spiritpreneurship Summit concluded, and the incredible insight has progressed into how we can live a life with a purpose by loving ourselves first.
We are occupied with our daily responsibilities throughout our days and don't realize how well we perform and how much we overcame in our lifetime.
It's a phenomenon that most of us struggle to be compassionate with ourselves. When we didn't finish our to-do list, when we make mistakes, when we don't do or feel enough, we are overwhelmed with time-consuming tasks and instead would prefer to spend time doing something more purposeful.
If we were to jot down our judgments and expectations daily, we would notice that we rarely put ourselves first or love ourselves unconditionally. Most of the time, we put others before us and always find reasons we shouldn't do something for ourselves. If we don't complete all our responsibilities of the day, we might be considered lazy. If we are taking breaks, others might think I don't care about others. In the end, these are all self-judgments, and it all comes down to our desire to be loved.
Another aspect arises when we look in the mirror, and the list of things we don't like about ourselves exceeds the items we appreciate. What if every day we would point out the parts we love about ourselves? Would it change the way we see us? Would we create a more optimistic outlook for our future? Probably. Visualization takes many forms. Seeing our physical and behavioral appearance with more grace will make us happier overall.
When I spoke to parents, especially mothers, they found that they are always taking care of others; like caring for the kids, cooking, cleaning, the list is endless. The workload never gets less, and the wish that our significant other would pick-up some tasks here and there to make it easier for us. Once we have children, our personal wants and needs are taking a back seat, and the responsibilities shift. Yes, the day has only 24-hours, and we would like to take a break, but when?
This Summit taught me and how most speakers started to take care of themselves, is when the real purpose and meaning of life surfaced through breakdowns, painful experiences, or realizing that there is more to life. By letting our individuality shine through and sit in the front seat again, safety would return, as well as acknowledgment and recognition, because how safe would you feel if your child drives your car? Just because we put ourselves first doesn't mean we are selfish. When we take care of ourselves first and give the love we are looking for, our surroundings will appreciate us for who we are. Isn't that what we all want?