For your sake AND for the sake of those around you.
Selfish: “(adjective) Concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself; seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others.” Selfish = undesirable, implying “at the expense of others.” Like a finite number of coconuts on a dessert island … if I take one extra, someone else gets one less. We live in a world of finite. Finite energy, water, food, and covid vaccines. Being selfish lives in the finite world.
Sometimes we can convince ourselves that taking time for our own selfcare is being a bit selfish. That making time to boost ourselves “up” robs time from others and makes them go “down.” But selfcare lives in the infinite world … along with things like love, creativity and passion. Selfcare is not selfish. It’s self-ish.
Separate the word selfish into its two parts – Self-Ish:
- Self: “(as noun) A person’s essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action.”
- Ish: (yes, it’s in the dictionary): “(adverb): To some extent.”
Being self-ish is a good thing. A really good thing. It’s about caring about “me.” Which is also good for “them.” It lifts us up and helps us be better leaders in our personal and professional lives … and that makes the world a better place for those around us.
Have you considered scheduling an exquisite weekly self-care “hour of indulgence” with your self-ish self? To do the things that bring you joy. Take that luxurious bubble bath. Sing in the shower. Dance in the rain. Dig your hands in the garden. Just sit and be. Do whatever it is that does it for you — the things you love that bring you joy.
I welcome your thoughts … and what did you schedule?
Anna Minto
Founder & CEO, Transformational Change
LinkedIn.com/in/annaminto
Anna Minto - Transformational Change 
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