When you are an empath, you are so used to giving and serving others that you forget to top yourself up. I did that for many years only to come to a point where I had no more to give to others. I literally felt so mentally and physically drained that I started experiencing brain fog.
That was until I created rituals for myself throughout the day so I kept filling my cup so I could be available to serve others. My excuse was I don’t have time for myself and that was true, but I knew something had to change if I was to survive this life playing many roles daily. So now instead of complaining about lack of time for myself I just make sure I fit myself throughout the day and just do it even if it’s something I do for myself for only 5-10 mins. I mentally tell myself this is for me so I can be a better version of myself that will allow me to serve from a better place. You don’t need hours to love on yourself, but you do need commitment. It could simply be making a hot beverage for yourself and shutting yourself away from everyone and enjoy sipping your drink. Guess what that fills your cup. Sure, it’s not something major but next time throughout the day you take another 10 mins to read a few pages from a book that you’ve been meaning to start reading from years ago you again have filled your cup a little bit more. The next 5-10 mins you take and the next and the next it all adds into your cup, and it begins to start overflowing.
I am now a much happier person, and I can give from a place of truly wanting to give rather than giving from a place of false pretence because I was dying on the inside. I am here to tell you, it’s not selfish to choose yourself because you are not acting out of ego or lack but you are working from a place of abundance because a happier version of you equals to a greater overflow of love for everyone else💓 With much gratitude 🙏🏽