It is often really easy to focus on everyone else and their needs and find that your needs have slipped to the bottom of the list.  Often it takes an illness or something to happen, to prompt you to take stock, and move your needs further up the list.  Yet, if you give yourself the time to listen and understand your own needs, you will not only be happier, but also more effective in everything else that you do.

I came across this great poster, below, via  A Healthy You which I really like as a Self-Care List:

12 Steps to Self Care

How many of these are you following at the moment? If the answer, is not many or none at all, why not give it a go? Choose one of the twelve steps to start doing first, and focus on the difference that this small step can make to your overall quality of life.  Then gradually work through the list. If you start using this as a guide to caring for yourself, your needs will not be forgotten and put to the bottom of the list any more.

In addition to the 12 Steps to Self-Care, I find it can be really useful to think about your whole life and whether your needs are in balance in all the areas.  We can often become focused in one area of life, at the expense of other areas and those needs.  I often work with people who describe feeling dissatisfied with life but are struggling to understand why. If that sounds familiar or you are feeling that you would like to take stock of your life and your needs, a blog I posted last year might be useful to you Looking After the Whole Self.

I would love to hear what things you do to look after yourself and your well being, so please pop a comment below.