I have to be honest with all of you: the last few months have been really hard on me and I’ve struggled to figure out why—until this past weekend.

This Saturday I was fortunate enough to attend MogulX, an innovative conference with “classrooms” on topics including Failures, Work, Relationships, Health & Wellness, Travel, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. My second session of the day was titled “Finding Balance”, which was led by Health & Wellness Expert, Sophia Roe. Sophia opened up to us about a time in her life where she was most unhappy—and after lots of self-reflection, she realized it was a result of her losing sight of what was really important to her.

And, that led to my big reveal:

I’ve been feeling so out of sorts lately because my priorities shifted without me even realizing. I stopped being my #1 priority and I didn’t even see it happening. I let our upcoming wedding take over that crucial spot of “most important” in my life and my own well-being has taken a backseat.

Not anymore.

I tell you all this because I want you to realize that it’s not just acceptable to make yourself your #1 priority, it’s necessary. Here’s why: when you put yourself first, you allow yourself to be the best version of you. And, when you’re the best version of you, you will also be the best husband/wife/friend/coworker/family member you can be.

So, if you ever find yourself doubting that you deserve to be your own #1, remind yourself this isn’t just for you. It’s for everyone around you, too. For those of us who tend to put others before ourselves, this shift in perspective will change your world—and I hope it does because you damn well deserve it.

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If you’re looking for ways to get back on track like I was, here are some With Cheryl posts that helped me and might just help you too:

• The Importance of Journaling (and a challenge!)
• Gratitude & How to Make it a Habit
• Disconnect to Reconnect
• How to Wake-Up at 5am (Almost) Everyday
• My Morning Routine
• Work-Life BLENDING, Not Balance
• How Yoga Changed Me
• Effectively Manage Stress During the Holidays (and Beyond)

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