328. In loving others, don’t forget yourself

Your life isn’t yours completely. There’s a part of it that belongs to your parents, your partner, and to your kid. And there are a few smaller parts that belong to your friends and to your idols – whom you celebrate with all your heart. But, we often fail to keep a part of our life to us. Nobody, but us. Life moves fast when you’re building dreams for people you love. You wake up, hustle through the day, take care of chores, make plans for the future—and somewhere in all that noise, you forget that you too once had dreams. Little ones, maybe. A skill you wanted to master. A corner of the world you wanted to see. A story you wanted to tell. If you kill that part of your life, or if you ignore it long enough for it to wither, you slowly change as a person you once were. Because that small piece of what’s left of you is the root that keeps all your relationships alive. It’s the reason we laugh freely, love openly, and show up for others with patience and kindness If you’ve been so focused on the life of others, consider this essay a sign from the universe. Protect that small part in you that is full of life. Always remember that tending to the life that’s meant for you doesn’t make you selfish. It makes you whole. And when you’re whole, you have more of yourself to offer to the people you love.