When was the last time you actually put yourself first without feeling guilty? As women, we fall into this far too often. But do you know the cost of putting yourself last? You’ve likely felt it without even realizing it. Constantly putting yourself last comes with a cost. A cost you’re already paying in your health, energy, relationships, and even your confidence. 

It’s easy to fall into putting yourself last. You’re juggling work, kids, house, commitments, and your needs always fall to the bottom. It feels natural, like that’s how it is supposed to be. But by the end of this, you’ll see exactly what putting yourself last is costing you and how to stop. 

Too frequently, we wait for the perfect time. I’ve had women tell me they’re waiting until the kids are back in school, after the holidays, or when work slows down… but life never stops handing you reasons to wait. The truth is, the ‘right time’ is created, not found.

Physical costs of putting yourself last

If you’ve found yourself fatigued and having energy crashes, this could be why. You might be feeling achy, have pains, and have a slower metabolism from a lack of movement. While it may seem normal to you, it’s really not the norm. And as busy women, you feel these more intensely because you’re already stretched so thin with everything else you do. 

When you’ve been inactive or inconsistent with putting your goals towards the top of the list, it’s a much longer recovery and a harder ‘restart’. Often this leads to frustration and some negative talk (which never helps)!

The mental + emotional costs of putting yourself last

As women, we already carry what feels like a huge mental load. When you are putting yourself last, you could experience things like low self-confidence from broken promises to yourself, constant frustration that spills into other areas, and the mental load of ‘always on’ without relief. You already take care of a ton. You don’t want to add all these to your plate. 

I’ve felt less patience and presence with loved ones as well. Feeling like I couldn’t ever fully be present. Resentment is another cost you could encounter. This isn’t because you actually resent them, but more because you feel so drained. Finally, you are modeling burnout to your kids instead of showing balance. For me, this was a hard pill to swallow. As moms, we of course, always want to model the best behavior and I wasn’t doing that.

Why prioritizing yourself isn’t selfish

You can’t pour from an empty cup. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase before. In this situation, putting yourself last it makes SO MUCH sense. In practice, this means that you do things to fill yourself up (maybe your morning movement) so that you can confidently pour into others’ cups (getting the kids practice, taking your mom to lunch, etc). When you’re healthier and more energized, everyone benefits.

Start small. 10-15 minutes of daily movement, protein with every meal, and 5 minutes of mindset work. Block it in your calendar first, then fit everything else around it.

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE NOW

Listen & subscribe on your favorite platform: Apple Podcast | Spotify

If you liked this blog, here’s more for you!

How We Prioritize Health As A With Family Nathan McDivitt: HERE

5 Healthy Habits That Make Me Feel Good: HERE