Be Selfish

Being selfish is sometimes necessary in order to be able to provide others with what they need.

We lead busy lives. We all have obligations (work, school, kids, family, activities, the gym, etc.) that all place demands on our time. Amidst all these commitments it can become very difficult to see where we can even take time to breathe. It may feel like taking time for anything solitary is selfish and will just have to wait until later in life. The thing is, later in life never really comes; all we have is today.

Planning time by yourself to recharge your emotional battery requires a little bit of planning. First, you need to get time off from work, school, friends or whatever else needs tending. Pick a day and put it on your calendar. Treat that day as you would any other obligation. Don't let yourself give up that time simply because you don't have to be anywhere.

Second, make sure that before that day gets here you have completed all necessary errands and chores. The last thing you want to do on your day is feel guilty because you should be doing something more productive. Regaining a sense of calm in your life is productive, or at least you will be more productive after you have recharged.

Finally, when the day arrives, do whatever you want. This may mean sitting around all day in your pajamas watching movies, or taking out the art supplies from the back of the closet and finishing that long forgotten painting, or sitting in front of the TV playing video games.

For me it meant spending the better part of a day sprawled on the bed in front of the air conditioner reading all the magazines that I hadn't had a chance to read for the past two months. It was the first time in nearly a year that I had taken the time for myself.

What I realized afterward is I was a happier person that was able to give more to my family and work and all it took was one, single, solitary day. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't seem like a selfish act at all, but before I took that day I viewed it that way.

So if you feel that taking that time away from your other obligations is selfish, then give yourself permission to be selfish.