A strong work ethic is something my mother instilled in me from a very young age. As a first generation American, providing for one’s family has always been the top priority. “Work hard, and if you have time to sit down, you aren’t doing enough!” While I’m grateful for the daily sacrifices and service that my mother made, I began to notice her mental health declining as we both got older. We often feel like our own mental health is a solo struggle, when in reality, it bleeds through the family unit and becomes the household’s battle. We need to remember that, while it is important to serve others, it is equally important to serve ourselves as well. Just like a car indicates when it’s time to refuel, our bodies do the same. We naturally tend to reward ourselves with rest when our work is done, rather than ensuring that we are fully rested first so we can perform at our best.
Rest is a key ingredient to prevent burnout and ensure that our brain and our bodies can reset. We can’t pour from an empty cup nor can we be the best parent, friend, or worker when we are running on “E”.
While the holidays are right around the corner, and it’s a time for family and giving to everyone else; don’t forget about you.
Don’t forget to pause
Don’t forget to take a moment to breathe in
But more importantly
Don’t forget to exhale.
The best gift we can give our kids and our loved ones is to model self-care. When we show up as the best version of ourselves, the whole family wins.
