Where does one start when writing their first blog entry? It seems like it must be the most impactful of them all; catchy, insightful, witty, and most importantly it must build a connection with everyone who reads it. It's so much pressure, but to be honest my hope is that all my entries will fill those requirements. I actually enjoy writing and blogs are probably the style I am most suited for. So in the end it's really just my expectation for myself.
We all seem to have these expectations for ourselves and they're often higher than others expectations for us. We are often so hard on ourselves that we fail to see our own beauty and instead only see our flaws. It's no wonder that according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America Major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for people 15 to 44 affecting more than 16.1 million American adults. My theory is that we aren't taught one very important fact. Self-care isn't selfish.
Employers expect long weeks, parents are expected to work 24/7 365 days a year, and often these two are combined. Burnout lowers productivity. Don't believe me? Look it up You'll find many studies. Lowered productivity makes people feel like crap about themselves because they can't obtain the impossible standards. Then they feel they don't deserve breaks or self-care. News flash...they're wrong.
Everyone deserves self-care. Children should be taught this. Adults should model it. Everyday every human on Earth should do something for themselves, even if it's something small. If we do the world will be a happier, more productive place. Today I will play Zelda. What will you do?
