Taking care of yourself first, is giving your world the best of you; not what's left of you.

You must always put yourself first. Not at the expense of anyone, but rather... to better serve and support everyone.

A cliché is a platitude which is so overused and worn out, that it pretty-much loses its meaning. But consider this cliche, "You can’t fully love someone else until you first fully love yourself." Or... "You can't be a best friend to others until you're a best friend to yourself? Is this true?

When my wife was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, the 'caretaker' advice I was given and read about, differed in many ways - except for the #1 piece of advice that I received from everyone and from every source: Take care of yourself first, so you can take better care of your wife. You are no good to her if you are emotionally and physically spent.

Taking Care of #1 - is NOT about being selfishness, more concerned with your own needs than those of others, manipulation, or having a lack of empathy. It is, however, all about maintaining a peak performing state of mind and the physical energy to achieve meaningful outcomes confidently, as effortlessly as possible, and with full integrity.

Self-Care: It's a study and a practice:

Below are 8 of the best tips I received and used - that have been "beyond invaluable" to me, my wife, and all those I have shared these with (And I presented them in the order of priority I found them to be most effective).

1. Say "NO" to others, and say yes to your self-care.

2. Make sleep part of your self-care routine.

3. Let a pet help you with your self-care.

4. Identify an activity to escape to for a while (movie, book, bridge etc.).

5. Recruit others to help out, while you take care of yourself.

6. Take care of yourself by taking care of your gut. Eat well and snack better.

7. Exercise daily (even if it's just a 15 minute walk around the block).

8.?Meditate (For a sense of peace and calmness; meditation - there is no substitute).