Why I Chose My Peace and Happiness Over Everyone Else's
It's not selfish to choose your own happiness. It's self-care. And if you don't take care of yourself, who will? Here's why I chose my peace and happiness over everyone else's.
When it comes to peace and happiness, we often put everyone else's needs before our own. We put our families, friends, and co-workers before ourselves. We think that by making them happy, we will somehow be happy too. But what we don't realize is that we can't make other people happy—we can only make ourselves happy. And if we're not happy, how can we expect anyone else to be?
It took me a long time to realize this. For years, I tried to please everyone around me but it was never enough. I was always stressed out and unhappy. I was burned out from trying to make everyone else happy while neglecting my own needs. Finally, I reached my breaking point and realized that I needed to take care of myself first and foremost.
I started saying "no" more often. I stopped saying "yes" to things that didn't make me happy. I began putting my own needs first, even if it meant disappointing someone else. And do you know what? It felt amazing! Not only was I happier, but the people around me were happier too because they could see that I was finally taking care of myself. They didn't need me to take care of them—they could take care of themselves just fine.
If you're not taking care of yourself, you're not going to be able to take care of anyone else either. It's not selfish to choose your own happiness—it's self-care. So if you're feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by everything you have to do, take a step back and ask yourself what would make YOU happy. Don't worry about everyone else—just focus on yourself for once. You deserve it!
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 support for people in crisis. Dial 988 to be connected with a trained counselor who can provide support and resources. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a confidential service, and all calls are free and anonymous. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. You are not alone.