by Lori Deschene

“The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.” -Swedish Proverb

When you do the things you need to do to take care of yourself, even though you don’t feel like it, that’s helping yourself.

When you tell people what you need, even though you’re afraid to acknowledge it, that’s helping yourself.

When you forgive yourself for your mistakes, even though you feel like dwelling, that’s helping yourself.

When you take responsibility for your problems, even though someone else may have played a large part in them, that’s helping yourself.

When you break a problem into tiny, manageable pieces, even though you feel overwhelmed, that’s helping yourself.

When you live in accordance with your values, even when they stand in the way of something you think you want, that’s helping yourself.

When you allow yourself to dream, and then focusing on creating instead of arriving, that’s helping yourself.

And when you make the effort to help yourself, you can better help other people–and the world.

What do you need to do to help yourself today, and can you start right now?