So much of our lives are spent focusing on other people. Whether it’s family, friends, or a romantic partner, we often put the needs of others before the consideration of ourselves.
Although this is admirable and there is nothing wrong with thinking of others and putting our energy into those relationships, you shouldn’t neglect your dreams and desires.
Neglecting your own needs can even have a negative effect on relationships with those around you. In this article, we will look at several ways that you can learn how to focus on yourself.
Understand Yourself
You need to open up to yourself and build a strong relationship with who you are in order to focus on yourself (You might also want to check out How To Stop Being Codependent?). This can be very daunting as often, the people we truly are inside are not the people we think we are.
You may find yourself questioning your identity and your self-knowledge but this is an important process that you shouldn’t run from.
Acknowledge your growth and the areas of your life that you were previously unaware of. Be curious, instead of scared, and see yourself as a new friend worth knowing.
There are several techniques you can use to achieve this. Consider keeping a daily journal and note down anything of interest that happens in your day or any thoughts you have.
Make a list of the experiences you’d like to have in the future and challenge yourself to do something new every day, no matter how large or small.
Journaling is a great way to get a picture of yourself and who you are. You don’t need to interact with other people and are free from their influence or trying to please them.
Live For Yourself, Not Others
There are many different ways to live your life and all of them are valid. However, so many of us live our lives because of the influence of others or because we think this is how life should be.
We seek advice from others and allow this to cloud our own judgment and force us down paths we otherwise wouldn’t take. Gathering advice and opinions can be a positive tool when it comes to making decisions, but the final decision should always be ours.
A common example of this can be seen in our relationships. There is pressure from both society and those who love us to be happily married and have children. This is seen as an important part of life and a measure of success. However, this isn’t always the case.
For many people, single life is a freeing and enjoyable experience. Even those that want to get married can find more joy in remaining single than in pursuing a relationship that is harmful to them.
Figure out what you need in your life and focus on that truth.
Create A Plan For Self-Care
Self-care and self-focus aren’t things that just happen. We need to take the time to commit to self-care and find ways to bring this into our daily lives.
Carve out some time for yourself and find some activities you can do that will allow you to focus your attention on yourself instead of others.
You should start small by introducing just one thing into your routine and then you can start adding more activities to aid in your self-care. There are several ways to do this, such as:
Write a journal
Read a book
Exercise
Take a nature walk
Meditation
Change your diet
None of these activities need to be a large expense but with time, you will find that they will improve your mood and allow you to focus on yourself.
Be Kind To Yourself
We’re often kinder and more compassionate to others than we are to ourselves. Having compassion for others is a positive trait and something to be encouraged, but you shouldn’t forget to treat yourself with the same level of compassion.
We often forgive others for their mistakes but hold ourselves accountable in similar circumstances. It’s not unusual to hold ourselves to higher standards and fall into negative thoughts because of this, but this is something we should all work to avoid.
If you have a task to complete, allow yourself to take a break instead of powering through and criticizing yourself for your failures.
Encourage yourself for trying your best instead of not succeeding. Understand that to perform at your best, you will need to take a break and devote time to yourself instead of concentrating on others.
Spend Time On Yourself
Whether it’s family, friends, or romantic partners, we often spend our time with other people and doing what they want to do. This can be a very positive experience but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your own hobbies and interests.
Even the most compatible of partners will have their own separate hobbies and finding time away from those you love to indulge in your interests is important. It can help you to have a healthier relationship with both yourself and your partner.
Setting aside time for your own hobbies and relaxation will help avoid burnout as well as help you learn to love yourself and enjoy your own company.
Don’t Lose Sight Of Your Personal Values
We all have qualities that we personally value in life more than others and it can be easy to lose track of these during hard times.
By identifying these values and seeking to make them a focus of our lives, we can improve our lives and focus on bettering ourselves.
For example, if friendship is an important value to you, consider reaching out to friends you may have neglected due to a relationship or tough period of your life.
Dedicating time to your friends and cultivating those relationships can become a positive force in your life.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we looked at several ways that you can focus on yourself. We hope that these methods are useful to you and help you move forward in your life.
Hi, we are Ben Easter and Paige Stephens-Easter, and we have been married for 10 years. Together, we have immersed ourselves in the world of personal development, with our full-time business - Lucid Shift Coaching.
We believe that mental health and mindfulness are the most important things in a relationship, and we need to cherish these things in order to be the best versions of ourselves.
Our core values include Play, Growth, Connection, Collaboration, and Authenticity. These apply to our work, relationship, and all areas of our lives where we want to see improvement.
Please enjoy our website and learn more about personal development through mindfulness, nurturing your mental health, and more.
