Non Negotiables

As a person; I tend to put others before myself. I’ve always done this; and while it’s excellent to be a kind, empathetic and caring person; sometimes this isn’t for the best. In order to be the best person you can be for yourself and those you care about; sometimes you need to put yourself first. An easy way to take time for yourself is to identify your non-negotiables. While it’s pretty self explanatory, I wanted to clarify in case you’re unfamiliar with the phrase:

a non-negotiable is a thing you do for yourself every singe day, without negotiation.

They follow your values and principles. They define what you will and won’t accept from others, and what you will and won’t accept from yourself. They’re promises you keep to yourself and your family.

Nothing and no one can get in the way of you doing this thing because it’s a top priority, so you can feel good and be the best version of yourself. You’re literally saying “I’m going to do the thing(s) no matter what because that’s how important feeling good is to me”. Sure, you could live without. But living with allows you to be the best version of yourself.
Now; your non-negotiable doesn’t have to be a daily thing. It could be weekly! What’s important is that you don’t let anything get in the way of your thing(s) - because whether you’re a working mom, a freelance artist, or an heiress; you deserve something for you

some ideas for non-negotiables:

These are unique to you and your situation. While only you can choose your non-negotiables, here are some examples:

• not working on weekends (family time)

• getting up early to meditate

• having a set bedtime

• having dinner with your family

• seeing a little bit of nature every day

• listening to your favorite podcast whenever there’s a new episode

• writing in your journal (maybe a gratitude journal!)
  

my non-negotiables:

• (at the very least) talking with my love every day.
  Thankfully, we live together and he hasn’t had travel jobs because of quarantine, but when he was on the road constantly for work; my day would suffer and be incomplete without him. So we set this non-negotiable, and we’re both happier for it.

• working out daily
  I’ve said it before and I”ll say it again: my day isn’t complete without a workout. Plus, happy people don’t kill their husbands.

• starting my morning with coffee or matcha
  I don’t need it, but my day is so much better with it!

So which non-negotiable will you be adding to your day to help you be a happier, fuller you?

xoxo, Sarah