To take care of others, we must first endeavor to care for ourselves. For some out there, it is difficult to give themselves a little T.L.C. Like many things in this world, this practice is a delicate balance.
No matter where we find ourselves in life, it is essential to make our own needs a priority. I believe that only when this practice comes at the expense of others does it become fundamentally wrong.
In this post, my goal is to help inspire you to give yourself some much-needed care if you haven't already done so. This will not only enhance your own life, but it also has the power to impact others positively. To start, however, I need you to do me (and yourself) a favor:
EASIER SAID THAN DONE...
Of course, it's one thing to tell someone repeatedly they're fantastic, but to help them believe it is an entirely different beast. How we look and feel about ourselves depends on our sense of self-worth.
We must be willing to invest in ourselves and ultimately learn to love and accept who we are if we hope to succeed and find fulfillment in life.
That's why self-care is so important. It enables us to improve ourselves in virtually every way possible to enhance our lives for the better. You see, it feels good to achieve and overcome obstacles. When we accomplish things and have the right attitude, others take notice and are drawn to us. It's a rule as old as human existence itself; healthy people attract other healthy people, whether we're talking about physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health, etc. The rules are the same no matter the context.
CLOTHES DON'T COMPLETELY MAKE THE MAN... BUT THEY CERTAINLY MATTER
What we choose to wear, how we treat our bodies, and how we ultimately live our lives day-to-day communicates something to everyone around us, and we should do our best to make it count.
Dressing well shouldn't be hard, and it doesn't require that you spend copious amounts of money. For instance, a functional wardrobe that works well for you should be comprised of timeless staples that can cover you for just about any situation that you can think of.
For more information about how to build a starter capsule wardrobe from scratch, see my separate article here.
Of course, the key to nailing any outfit starts with the fit. Getting a tailor and knowing what flatters your frame is critical, but it's only part of the equation. For more information on how to find a tailor you can learn to trust, read my separate article here.
OUR APPEARANCE MATTERS
Like it or not, our appearance matters. The first impression is paramount whether you are going on a date, meeting someone new, or attending a job interview. Perhaps you already knew this, and maybe you weren't ever taught how to give yourself the care commensurate with being a gentleman.
We hear it all the time, confidence is attractive, and a man who knows what he wants nearly always gets it.
For some of us, it can be more complicated than others; regardless of your starting point, my goal with Gentleman's Flair is to get the gears turning in your head so that you can begin to shift your mindset.
By investing in ourselves, we can become more capable of formulating healthy relationships and progress towards becoming healthier individuals. Furthermore, we can better have our needs met in a way that enriches our lives and potentially the lives of others.
BECOME THE MAN YOU KNOW YOURSELF TO BE
There isn't a sure-fire way to give you the life you want; only YOU can do that for yourself. But if there is anything I would like you to understand, self-care needs to be a priority in your life.
To succeed in the ways we want, we must focus a healthy amount of time and energy on getting the little things right for ourselves. I firmly believe that our appearance profoundly affects how we FEEL about ourselves, and this ultimately influences how we treat others and interact with them. I won't pretend to know what it's like to be YOU, but I'm committed to helping you look, feel, and live better.
DON'T FORGET YOUR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING
Prioritizing a healthy physique helps with your style and will undoubtedly improve various aspects of your life, including prolonging it. That's important because whether you believe it or not (hopefully you do), we all have value and a purpose, so let's try to make the most of our time on this earth. For information about kickstarting your fitness and nutrition journey, consult this article here.
SELF-CARE ISN'T SELFISH
We need to learn to take care of ourselves to better serve others. I believe that life is best spent in the company of those who have genuine love, affection, and admiration for us. After all, humans weren't meant to be alone, and when we make a point to invest in ourselves, we can powerfully affect the trajectory of our lives.
To read more of my thoughts about how to find fulfillment in life, consult this article here.
WHY IS THIS ALL SO IMPORTANT?
Because as important as we are, individually, it's not ALL about you or me. We need to be ready to champion our cause in life and help to do our part for our communities to make some good happen in this world. Dressing the part, staying healthy, and making self-development a continual priority is fundamental to that cause, whether you choose to see it for yourself or not.
I've said it before, and it's worth repeating... we can't pour from an empty cup, so learn to care for yourself so that you can help to enrich the lives of others.
Everyone has value and purpose, always.
