Strong women take care of everyone but themselves.

We put the needs of others above our own. We are taught from an early age that we should sacrifice our happiness for the happiness of everyone around us because that’s what moms and wives do. And, I agree to a point.

Yes, we can put the needs of our families ahead of our own, but not to the extent we sacrifice ourselves. If we sacrifice our well-being for our significant others, our children, our parents, our employers and anyone else that calls and says “Could you do this for me?” where does that leave us? It leaves us feeling empty, taken for granted and feeling defeated.

When we as women get to this place we make choices that are not always the best. The end result we are hoping for may be good, but instead of facing our challenges head on and having the hard conversations we need to have, we choose the path of least conflict. In the end, this can result in more conflict.

So, before you give up, have the hard conversations, make the choices you need to make to have a healthier, happier life. Get rid of the toxic relationships, set boundaries for work, family and friends. If you don’t take care of you, you can’t take care of anyone else.