Prioritizing yourself isn't selfish; it's necessary!

Life is busy, chaotic, and often feels like it’s moving at a hundred miles an hour—especially when you’re dealing with a chronic illness like endometriosis. Days blend into weeks, and the nagging pain and fatigue can make it feel like time slips away unnoticed. However, amidst all this, the most important lesson is: Make yourself a priority. Nobody knows your body and its needs better than you do. Taking charge of your own well-being is not selfish; it’s essential.

Whether you're battling endometriosis, another chronic condition, or simply juggling the demands of modern life, self-care isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a lifeline.

Understanding the Importance of Prioritizing Yourself

1. Listen to Your Body and Set Boundaries

One of the first steps to prioritizing yourself is becoming attuned to your body’s signals. With conditions like endometriosis, it’s easy to ignore pain and fatigue, brushing them off as just another “normal” day. But your body is communicating with you, and it’s crucial to listen.

• Recognize Your Limits: Pay attention to when your body feels overwhelmed. Whether it's exhaustion creeping in or familiar aches intensifying, don't push through these signals—honour them. Acknowledge when your body tells you to slow down and take the rest you need without guilt. However, many can stay in this "take rest" period for too long. Recognize the recovery as well. Stop for a while, recharge, and then kick asses again.

• Set Boundaries: This might mean saying “no” to social events or work commitments when you need rest. Remember, your health comes first. Setting boundaries allows you to manage your energy better and reserve it for the activities that truly matter. It’s about protecting your well-being so you can show up fully for the things and people that align with your needs and values.

Endometriosis (or any other illness) can make your days feel like they’re being lived through a haze of discomfort, exhaustion, and unpredictability. It’s easy to fall into a pattern where you’re surviving rather than thriving, and your needs often end up at the bottom of the priority list. However, if you don’t prioritize yourself, who will?

Putting yourself first doesn’t mean disregarding the needs of others or ignoring your responsibilities. It’s about recognizing that taking care of yourself is the foundation for everything else you want to accomplish. When you prioritize your well-being, you’re better equipped—physically, emotionally, and mentally—to tackle challenges, be there for others, and find fulfilment in your life.

Here’s the truth: Your health is your most important asset. You owe it to yourself to listen to your body, to treat it with kindness, and to give it the care and attention it deserves.

A Personal Story: Learning to Choose Myself

Living with endometriosis has brought me face-to-face with some of the most challenging moments of my life. One of these moments came just after my second surgery. My husband, Gábor, and I had started the process of adopting a dog a month or so before my scheduled surgery, and we had scheduled the pickup date a week after my surgery, excited to welcome Bambam, a sweet 7-month-old pup, into our lives.

However, the surgery turned out to be far more complicated than expected. During the operation, the doctors discovered that my endometriosis had spread extensively, affecting my kidney and colon, which led to an unplanned colon resection (This part of my journey is a story for another time). What we initially thought would be a relatively routine procedure became an extended hospital stay, and the recovery process was going to be much longer and riskier than anticipated due to the high chance of infection.

Despite these complications, two days after I was discharged from the hospital, we brought Bambam home. At this point, Gábor had already taken over my coaching classes during the week, as there was no way I could return to work anytime soon. While Gábor supported me in every possible way—managing his full-time job, coaching, picking up my classes, and taking care of everything at home—we both found ourselves also juggling the challenges of caring for Bambam, our puppy, who, on top of everything else, was battling giardia.

The demands of caring for a sick puppy while also trying to recover from a major surgery became overwhelming. For me, and for Gábor - watching me struggle. I was physically exhausted, and my energy was being stretched too thin. Instead of focusing on my recovery, I was trying to do it all—care for the sick puppy, manage my pain, and cope with the emotional aftermath of an unexpected surgery.

Gábor did everything he could when he was home, caring for me and Bambam. But the situation was simply unsustainable. I wasn’t giving myself the space or time needed to heal, and it became clear that, despite our love for Bambam, we could not go on like this. We had to make one of the hardest decisions of our lives: to return Bambam to his foster home. It was heartbreaking. I felt like I had failed—not just the dog, but myself. But deep down, I knew that if we didn’t make this decision, I was risking my health, and neither of us—Bambam or I—would be getting the care we needed.

Things started to change when I admitted that I needed to put myself first. After returning Bambam to his foster family, I started hypnotherapy and began focusing on my physical and even more on my mental recovery.

Choosing Yourself: It’s Not Selfish, It’s Essential

Making that decision felt like an enormous sacrifice at the time, but it ultimately allowed me to take the steps needed for my recovery. And sometimes, life can reward you when you choose yourself. Bambam stayed with his foster git, who took wonderful care of him. Five months later, when I had regained my strength—both physically and emotionally—we had the opportunity to bring him back home. This time, I was (or we both were) ready, and Bambam has been with us ever since, bringing endless joy into our lives.

This experience taught me that making yourself a priority isn’t about taking shortcuts; it’s about making the hard, sometimes painful decisions that are essential for your health. It’s about understanding that your well-being must come first if you want to show up for the people (and animals) you love and responsibilities in your life. It’s not selfish; it’s survival.

2. Honor Your Journey: Celebrate the Small Wins

Living with a chronic illness means your experience may not follow the conventional path. You might have days where getting out of bed feels like an achievement, and that’s okay. Making yourself a priority also means recognizing and celebrating your progress—no matter how small.

• Shift the Perspective: Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, celebrate what you can do. Did you manage to attend that appointment despite feeling unwell? That’s a win. Did you take a few minutes for yourself today? That’s progress.

• Show Yourself Compassion: Chronic illnesses often come with unpredictable ups and downs. It’s essential to be gentle with yourself during the challenging times. You are doing your best, and acknowledging that is a very important part of putting yourself first.

  
  

Conclusion

Making yourself a priority is a conscious choice and an ongoing commitment. It’s about understanding that your physical and emotional health deserves your time, attention, and care. The world may tell you to keep pushing and giving, but in reality, your ability to show up for life depends on how well you show up for yourself.

Self-care isn’t just about pampering or indulging; it’s about preserving your well-being so you can thrive despite the challenges you face. It’s about reclaiming control over your narrative and ensuring that amidst the chaos, you don’t lose sight of the person who matters most—you.

So, start today. Listen to your body, set boundaries, and make space for joy. Remember, when you prioritize yourself, you not only empower your own journey but also become a stronger, more resilient version of yourself for everything and everyone else that matters. And sometimes, life gives you the chance to pick up where you left off, with even more strength than before—like welcoming Bambam back home when the time was right.