Sometimes you have to put yourself first. Other days you may be at the bottom of the list. We often put everyone above ourselves–your kids, your husband/wife/partner, your job, your school, your client, etc. Although it may seem counterintuitive, choosing yourself first is not necessarily selfish. To give back to others, you need to put yourself first sometimes. Remember the safety message on planes, put the oxygen mask over your mouth first so then you can help others.
When you run a marathon or go to law school, you have to choose you to complete the journey. What do you need to eat before a long run? How much time do you need to stretch? What resources do you need to research and write that paper? How much time do you need to read and brief that case?
Your journey may be a grind at times. It can take a toll on your wellbeing. Rather than just get through it, or ignore your wellbeing, treat yourself to something along your journey when you reach a milestone, maybe complete a long run, get through drafting an outline or a paper, or finish an exam. Remember in the Parks and Recreation show, Tom and Donna would periodically have a “treat yo self” day where they would splurge and go shopping, get massages, and generally put themselves first during the entire day. Don’t feel guilty about it. Your journey is an investment in you.
When training a marathon, to prevent injury, runners often schedule regular massages throughout the training. Once a month I got a massage during my training. I also took Airborne a week or two before the race and made sure I got the rest and nutrition I needed.
How can you put yourself first in law school and treat yourself from time to time? In law school, a massage may help relieve tension. A nice walk could also do the trick. Maybe it is watching some trash TV. Or maybe it is buying a new suit for moot court or an upcoming interview. Whatever it is, you need to choose you. You deserve it!