You’ve likely heard the statement: “Put your oxygen mask on first.” I’ve even recorded a podcast episode on it early on. If you haven’t, I share the analogy in this episode. And today, I talk about why the “oxygen mask” analogy is NOT serving us and what to do instead.
You’ve all heard the statement: “Put your oxygen mask on first”
True story–I even recorded a podcast on this content when I first started podcasting.
If you don’t know it, let me paint you a picture:
You have boarded a flight for vacation and the attendants are going through their pre-flight checklist. This checklist includes the warning that if cabin pressure drops, an oxygen mask will drop from the overhead compartment and you must “put your oxygen mask on first before helping those around you.”
Sound familiar?
In theory, it sounds great…but if we dive a little deeper it actually is NOT a great metaphor for putting yourself first.
It presupposes that you have to have a crisis in order for you to have a realization that you have to put your own needs first. When your life is about to end, then go ahead and put that mask on.
And that’s the problem.
In this go, go, go…do, do, do….hustle, hustle, hustle society we don’t take time to care for ourselves until our bodies are screaming at us to stop. If we ignore the fatigue, the headaches, the insomnia, the anxiety, the depression that slowly creep in and continue to push through, we push into a wall.
Why are we so afraid to admit that we want to care for ourselves?
My guesses…For the most part, the models for taking care of ourselves don’t exist in our family structures or in our 9 to 5 corporate setting.
Instead of reaching to take care of yourself in an emergency–the key is actually making space for it every single day and week of your life so you don’t end up in crisis.
It takes ONE decision to take ownership for how you want to feel in your life and what kind of results you want.
When you learn to breathe deep oxygen every day, here is what happens–you feel happy every day. You feel free. Aliveness is in you. No longer are you living in crisis every.single.day.
Imagine what life would look like a year from now if you made the space to pour into yourself every day.
If you are stuck in the belief that you don’t deserve to care for yourself, don’t have time to care for yourself, etc., try spending time with people who do value their own self-care. If you don’t have those people in your life, look for them.
A better analogy is this: “Breathe in that oxygen daily.”
Struggling to make yourself a consistent priority and feel like there is never enough time? Sign up for my FREE workshop where I teach you how to have more energy, less overwhelm, and still do it all in your life.
Sign up here: https://feelamazingnaked.com/moreenergy
You can also catch this week’s episode here:
