(ThySistas.com) No doubt you have a wife, mother, sister or friend who is always putting herself and her needs on the back burner, putting off things that need doing, such as that routine doctor’s visit, a much-needed shopping trip or even a simple visit to the nail salon, because, “Oh, I’ll go when I have more time. _____ is more important right now.” This woman is always putting her own needs last.
It may be our instinct to heap praise, adulation and respect on the women in our lives who act selflessly and always put themselves last. To us, they seem to have the godly faith and resilience that every nurturing woman (and man) should have: selflessness, humility, and a genuine caring spirit. But the truth is, while it’s always an admirable trait to care for others, neglecting one’s own health (both mental and physical) can have terrible consequences. We shouldn’t encourage women to ignore their own needs, whether that’s for the benefit of others or not. The truth is, that a woman looking after her own needs will extend outward and benefit those she cares for more in the long run – the old adage “you can’t fill from an empty cup” is true. 
This is especially true when it comes to health and medical needs. For example, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. So many women who are middle-aged and elderly (and even in some cases young women) ignore serious signs of heart trouble, brushing it off as just stress or fatigue or ignoring actual pain because they’re either too scared to be seen, are worried about the cost of seeing a doctor, or think that taking care of their household is more important than their health. This is just wrong. If you have a medical issue, a health concern or any type of pain or discomfort, please call your doctor. You can’t do your family any good if you’re not around to take care of them, after all!
This is also true for other healthcare needs such as seeing a dentist, a mental healthcare provider like a therapist or counselor, minor health stuff like seeing your dermatologist or allergist, and more. You might think it’s no big deal, but looking after yourself is always a big deal.
It’s true for other “trivial” concerns as well. Pampering yourself on occasion and taking the time to do things you enjoy, that help relax you or comfort you in times of anxiety or chaos can positively impact your overall health and wellbeing. So take the time to get to the salon and have your hair done, go do your nails, go on that long-put-off shopping trip or visit with your girlfriends. It can be as simple as sitting down on the couch with a glass of wine to watch Scandal instead of doing the dishes (they can wait until tomorrow morning).
Caring for others is the most admirable and loving thing a person can do; but caring for yourself is perhaps the bravest. There’s time in your life for both, we promise.
Staff Writer; Susan Jones