According to Tanya Curtis, Senior Behaviour Specialist and founding director of FABIC Behaviour Specialist Centre, our Number 1 Job is to love and care for ourselves in a way that sets a foundation so we can truly love and care for other people.
All too often people are exhausted, they lack vitality and vibrancy and don’t live their true potential because they have compromised themselves under the guise of needing to support others. And that applies to mothers, teachers, nurses, support workers, spouses and all of us.
But true support is to love ourselves first so that we feel equipped to respond to whatever life presents next. This is our Number 1 job, and only then can we truly support others. And this is not selfish, a myth that must be debunked for the fallacy it is.
Self-care is not selfish, on the contrary. Remember the safety announcement on flights, long or short? Does it not say to fit one’s own oxygen mask first before attending to others?
Thus, it is the most selfless act to truly love and care for ourselves. It provides a solid foundation which then allows us to offer true love and care and is also a reflection that shows that compromising ourselves is not supportive, not for ourselves or other people.
This video may be useful for those searching for the following:
- Self-care styles
- Self-care quotes
- Self-care is not selfish
- Care for yourself before others
- Help yourself before helping others
What to watch next:
And for a deeper dive into all things LASTING behaviour change with FABIC:
- Do you know your Number 1 job? Here is a free article on the FABIC website.
- Then there is My Number 1 Job, a picture book for young and old from the FABIC shop.
- And an episode on FABIC.tv in the children’s video books series.
