5 Keys to Unlock Your Potential and Achieve Success: Key #1 Take Good Care of Yourself

Being a personal coach does not come as a surprise that I would talk about self care as the first step in unlocking one’s potential. I strongly believe that us women tend to wear so many hats and to fulfill so many roles, that often our own needs and desires are put in the back burner. It took me a while to realize this, however, once I understood the importance of taking good care of myself; I was able to see that if I am not well, other things around me will fall apart; conversely when I am at my best, I am in a perfect position to love, accept and to give in a way that makes me happy and those around me feel it.

The problem may lay in that for different reasons, we are conditioned to believe that we have to be ‘all things to all people. And during that process, sometimes we lose the connection between what we are and what we want. We see the sacrifices we do for others as an expectation that needs to be met, and even more, we find pleasure and comfort in doing that as if meeting everyone else’s need before ours, was our duty.

To say that we take good care of ourselves, it also means that we are in touch with our inner feelings. So often, I speak to women who feel like permanent victims of life. Whether they came from a dysfunctional background, they married the wrong person, their children do not listen, or they cannot get a handle on their weight; it is often someone else’s fault because if they did not have to suffer from the abuse, or deal with the bully husband or work the long hours that prevent them from exercising and eating healthier, their lives would be perfect. Well, the problem with that theory is that after a while, we start attracting to ourselves more of the negative stuff. People around us get tired of hearing us complain and before we know it our relationships and our self-esteem suffer because nobody wants to hear constantly how much of a martyr you are.

“In dealing with those who are undergoing great suffering, if you feel “burnout” setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself.” Dalai Lama

So, how do you express that kind of love to yourself? How do you take such good care of yourself so that mind, body and spirit are a reflection of a full, satisfying life. A life that meets your expectations and needs and that provides a safe laboratory for playing and having fun, for enjoying yourself in what you do without feeling guilty, victimized or alienated?

1. Realize that there are being well is your responsibility
2. Understand the benefits of better self-care: less stress, better health, improved relationships, increase productivity and enhanced self-esteem
3. Other ways to take good care of yourself include: exercising, eating nutritious meals, getting enough rest/sleep, walking out away from unkind relationships, refusing to be abused, surround yourself with people and things you love, dress in ways that make you feel great, and block ‘me’ time’ every day, among others.
In short, taking good care of yourself is a key to unlocking your potential as it will empower you to do whatever you want to do in life; will give you freedom and a sense of a better you; and those things, will without a doubt improve your quality of life.

Stay tuned for Part II of the Series: “Keys to Unlock your Potential and Achieve Success.” Next week on the blog…If you are stuck trying to unlock your potential and are highly motivated to achieve success; life coaching might be what you need.
© 2010 Maria Martinez