Focus on Yourself

Continuing with topics centered around reflection over the last year, today’s topic is on the importance of focusing on yourself. This entry is prompted because during the last year I had to navigate a long-distance relationship. This entry will not be relationship advice or tricks to get through long-distance. What it will be is a key learning point I learned as a result of my long-distance relationship. “Me time” is important, prioritize it.

In order to emphasize my main message, I do need to talk briefly about long-distance relationships. If you are single, or not in a long-distance relationship, this message WILL absolutely still apply to you. I am merely explaining how I learned the importance of “me time.” Long-distance relationships are no fun. You feel alone, you feel like a part of you is missing. Even on your best days, you feel sad because it was not experienced with your partner. I also struggled with feelings that I was not fitting in with my new social groups. I still had a great group of close friends around me to help me out but the reality is nothing makes long-distance relationships enjoyable. That being said, there are ways to make them feel easier. If you are busy, time seems to go faster and the periods apart seem to shorten. This realization coupled with the goals I set helped me realize how important it is to focus on myself.

Focusing on myself gave me purpose and meaning day in and day out. It is not a selfish thing to focus on yourself nor is it selfish to find hobbies you enjoy. Your happiness matters. Put yourself first. At the same time, this does not mean abandoning activities with others or becoming a recluse. Nor does it mean intentionally prioritizing yourself over the happiness of others. You can still be a compassionate, caring, and social person while also carving out time for yourself. Speaking to everyone, whether you are single, in a relationship, or in a long-distance relationship like I was, finding time for yourself is the single most important thing for accomplishing anything you want to achieve. Setting aside “me time” for myself on a consistent basis has been one of the main reasons for sustained happiness and feelings of fulfillment in my life. Everyone has the time to create “me time,” you just need to be deliberate in setting it up for your daily life.

“Me time” and focusing on yourself can look like anything. It does not need to be sitting in a room meditating alone, or it could be. It can be anything you enjoy where you are fully present with yourself, your thoughts, living in the now. One of my favorite "me time” activities is an early morning run with no headphones. I always seem to have racing thoughts at first and then slip away into a clear and empty mind as I succumb to the solitude presented by this activity. “Me time” can present itself in your life on a run, working out, reading a book, sitting on a bench watching the sunrise, cooking a meal, car ride alone near sunset, learning a new skill, building LEGOs, anything. Once you have established “me time” activities, I am confident you will be more motivated to attack other areas in your life with a renewed sense of desire and happiness. Taking time for yourself reciprocates in how you interact and engage with others in all facets of life. Prioritize yourself, become a better you, for the good of everyone around you and yourself.