Want To Be Happier? Be More Selfish.

Eureka! Ever had a moment when realization suddenly hit you out of nowhere? You suddenly seem to understand something so clear, like never before. We call it a light-bulb moment.

Recently, I experienced this about my regular self-care habits. It changed me and my lifestyle. That change even spread out to my own family.

I had the idea that by putting everyone’s needs before mine made me the best person. Eventually, I started getting tired. My family saw the worst version of me.

To give our family everything that they need, don’t we forget to think about what we want? You do love your family, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore your own happiness. “Their happiness is my happiness”, you say. But sometimes, you need to energize yourself. Being a young mom, you need the strength to go on caring for your family.

I realized that if I don’t love and care for myself, how can I love and care for my family? To be the best version of you, self-care is important.

I started caring about my needs and did things that made me happy. It made me more patient and jolly. So I could give my best to all the people that I love.

If I did this, you can as well. Here are five changes you can make to bring out your greatest version.

1. I find gratitude everywhere

I simply stuck a note saying “gratitude” to the mirror in my bathroom. So I start the day and end the day by thinking of the things that I am thankful for. This doesn’t take any time out of your busy schedule. But this practice reminds you of the great things in your life. You have so much to be grateful for. Starting the day with positive energy and ending with the same will give you strength throughout the day.

Must read: A Harvard Research Reveals the Key Factor to Living Long and Happy Life

2. I begin the day with meditation

Every morning, I wake up and sit in silence for some minutes, closing my eyes and clearing my brain. This peace and quiet fills me with the energy I need to go on with my day. If you do this every day, you’ll be a more patient and relaxed person.

3. I try getting as much sleep as I need

It’s hard going to bed on time when you have so much to do. That’s where we go wrong. A well-rested body has more energy and motivation to work. For all the hard work you do, you need enough sleep to gain all that energy back. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a must for an average human. I started going to bed 15 minutes earlier every two weeks. Slowly, I got into the habit of going to bed on time.

4. I find peace in Nature

Whenever I feel like I’m losing my calm, I spend a little time in the lap of nature. The greenery, the sound of the birds and the gentle wind make me forget about my stress. When life becomes too much to take in, a little time in the garden clears my head.

5. I “breathe” between tasks

In the busy lives we have now, it’s important to take a little break before doing the next task. Take some time to breathe and calm yourself down before you hop on to your next job. Whether a mother of two kids or a student, everyone has a million things to do every day. Taking a short break in between will help you give your best possible work.

What I do to calm myself between tasks:

It doesn’t need to be something too complicated. I try taking deep breaths and meditate for at least a minute before I carry on to my next task. It really helps me get some energy. So the next thing I have to do doesn’t seem too much to handle.

The more you care about yourself, the more love you can give to the people you care for. Your personal peace of mind and happiness is necessary. It’s not really selfish to think of yourself first because you’re doing it for your loved ones. It is to make sure that they can get all the love you have for them.