So many women today, including myself, see themselves as caretakers. They take care of their children, even when they’re grown, they take care of their partners, they take care of parents, siblings, friends, neighbors and coworkers. The one person they never take care of is themselves!

I have people in my life whom I love dearly that would go 100 miles out of their way to take care of a family member or friend, but never do a thing for themselves. Many women actually feel guilty if they take time for themselves, or spend money on themselves. They feel that they’re being selfish.

What these women don’t understand is that we all only have a finite amount of time and energy, and when we spend all that time and energy on other people, we don’t have enough left to nurture us. What they need to recongize is that taking time for ourselves, and doing things to make our own lives a little better, is NOT selfish, and the more we nurture ourselves, the more we have to give to others.

Taking care of YOU is a win-win situation. You feel better, you feel more at peace, you feel energized, and all of that is reflected to those around you.

Sometimes little things can mean a lot. It could be that for you personally, an hour with a good book and a cup of gourmet coffee will leave you refreshed, relaxed and revitalized. Maybe all it takes is a nice hot bubble bath and some soothing music. Whatever it is that it takes to re-energize you, you need to take that time out of your life to focus on yourself.

How many times have you found yourself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated that you never seem to have a minute to yourself? You have to take the initiative to MAKE that time. Can you tuck the kids in for a nap and take that bubble bath? Can you make a quick trip to the bookstore, between other errands, to pick up that book that you’ve been dying to read?

Even if your answer is that you’re way to busy, it’s time to make YOU a priority in your life! You don’t think twice about giving your time to others, so why think twice about giving equal time to you? Get rid of those feelings of guilt and selfishness, because it’s way past time to put yourself at the top of your list!

I’m providing the tapping script below in the hope that it will aid you in making yourself a priority.

Karate chop:

• Even though I have time in my life to take care of everyone else, I never seem to have time to take care of me, and I’m tired of being at the bottom of my own list, and I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself.
• Even though I put a lot of time and energy into taking care of other people, I always forget about myself, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing that, and I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself.
• Even though my bucket of energy is getting mighty low, and I feel like I’m running out of steam, I’m considering that maybe if I do something nice for me, I’ll feel better about everything, and I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself.

Eyebrow: I take care of everyone else
Side of eye: But I don’t take care of myself
Under eye: It takes a lot of energy to take care of everyone else
Under nose: And I feel like my energy is running out
Chin: Everyone looks to me to take care of them
Under arm: And I do that willingly and with love
Top of head: But I never take time out for me.

Eyebrow: I’m running out of energy
Side of eye: And just can’t keep going this way
Under eye: Starting to focus on ME
Under nose: If I don’t take care of myself
Chin: I’ll have nothing left to give
Collar bone: Choosing to make myself a priority
Under arm: Recognizing that it’s important to make time for ME
Top of head: Making a commitment to nurture myself.

Eyebrow: Taking some time out of my schedule
Side of eye: To focus on my own needs
Under eye: There isn’t anything selfish about taking care of me
Under nose: Finding things to do that make me feel good
Chin: Being as nice to myself as I am to others
Collar bone: Letting go of the belief that I can’t take time for me
Under arm: *I* am important
Top of head: Making sure that I take time out for me