“Showing up is essential. Showing up constantly is powerful. Showing up constantly with a positive outlook is even more powerful.” – Jeff Olson
How often do you show up for yourself on a day-to-day basis? If we’re honest a lot of what we do feels like it is for other people. We find ourselves giving a lot of our time, energy, and attention to others. Whether that is to our families and loved ones, our friends, our employers, our businesses, or whatever else we feel obligated to show up for, it can be exhausting. It tends to come from a place of care in that we want to be there for others and do a good job, but it can leave us feeling depleted and burnt out.
This idea of showing up for ourselves comes from the concept of being unable to pour from an empty cup. While we may enjoy and love giving of ourselves to others, sooner or later, when our cup of energy, patience, and desire to work is empty – it usually leads to bad outcomes. So what does it mean or look like to show up for ourselves? It starts by identifying what are the things that fill your cup and showing up for yourself with what you need to do each day.
For some of us that means getting some form of movement in each day, CrossFit, yoga, pilates, spin, walking, or hiking. Movement has such a powerful benefit to our physical and mental health it is a great way to show up for yourself. For some of us, this could include quiet personal time which allows for reading, meditation, or being outside in nature. It could also be the way we eat and drink. Buying and eating foods that support your goals in how you want to feel and look.
If you struggle with the guilt of what it can cost with time and money to show up for ourselves, weigh out what is the cost if you don’t? How much more valuable is it to show up energized, confident, and ready compared to frustrated, stressed, underfueled, and burnt out?
Getting clear on what are the moments and actions that help to rejuvenate us, allows us to be a better version of ourselves for others. The quote for this week highlights that showing up for ourselves is essential. If we can combine showing up for ourselves with a positive attitude it is a very powerful approach to our lives. No one else can show up for you. You can get to be the primary driver of how you think, and how you respond to what life gives you.
Let’s show up for ourselves this week, and notice what happens to our lives when we bring a positive attitude to how we treat ourselves and those around us.
