5 Reasons Advocating for Yourself is Important

1. No one knows you better than yourself.

This may seem cliché because it is, but it is definitely true. We live in a world where we are being pulled in many directions. We are being fed all sorts of propaganda that allows for us to make a lot of decisions. We are told, controlled, and given the opinions by our closest family and friends as well as well as from strangers. To be honest, it becomes so overwhelming. We know that we are supposed to do what’s best for us, but it’s difficult when there are so many options and “experts” out there. But the only real expert is YOU. Don’t forget that! You know your mind, body, and soul better than anyone. Listen to them, and your gut instincts. Let them be your guides when you feel at a crossroads.

2. You Deserve the Best Treatment and Care.

This is two-fold. For yourself, you deserve to treat yourself and your body well. This is an everyday thing and habit we should form. Now I get it. We are human, and we do not always take the best care of ourselves. I know this all too well. But we deserve to, and we are worthy of the ultimate self love and self-care. Bottom line. It is good for our mental and physical health, and we should hold ourselves accountable and advocate for ourselves in instances where we are not getting the best treatment and care. This can be from healthcare professionals to your partners, friends, and family.

3. Advocating is Not Just for Others

I think a lot of people are under the impression that advocating is helping others. This is clearly a simple definition, and it is very true. But I am a firm believer in advocating for yourself first. When you begin to love yourself and gain the confidence to advocate for you, it is a beautiful thing. This is where you are at your best, and the best time to advocate for others, for causes. When you know yourself, you truly know what you stand for, not just the latest fad regarding causes. You can concentrate on the causes that are near and dear to your heart. This will make the long-term changes that are necessary in advocacy.

4. Advocating for Yourself Allows You to Better Advocate for Others

As I mentioned earlier and briefly, advocating for you allows you to advocate better for others. This is the truth. By having the confidence and the courage to advocate on behalf of yourself, you will take those same qualities and make such a difference advocating for causes that are special to you. For a very long time, I volunteered and wanted to help others. But none of them seemed to stick very long. I couldn’t figure out why. But now I realize I didn’t even really know me, what I stood for, and what I was passionate about. Slowly I learned to know me, love me, stick up for me, and I found that my passions included the very things I struggled with which was anxiety and confidence. When you are comfortable with you, you can help other people/causes by just being you 😊

5. Advocating Allows for Self-Empowerment.

As I said, there becomes an inner strength that takes over you as you begin to advocate for yourself. You may not even realize that it is happening. But it is the best feeling. I think when we advocate for others before ourselves, it is a temporary empowerment and “feel good” moment. But if you want to have a consistent feeling of goodness and confidence, you have to practice on yourself first. See, we want to help people in order to help ourselves. I believe that can be done and should be done as you are exploring yourself. Always be helpful to others when you can. Just remember that you need to put yourself first. This is not selfish, but rather necessary. I never believed this until I felt no energy, burnout, and overall dissatisfaction. But when I made time for me above and beyond facials and a nap, it was a game changer. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!