Trying to Thrive

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to truly thrive. I'm reading an incredible book by Arianna Huffington called Thrive. 

It's challenging me in the best kind of way. Being in direct sales, and being a team leader in direct sales means that I'm very rarely off when it comes to "work." That translates into I'm never really off when it comes to work. When you're passionate about what you do, it becomes part of your life. It's not a bad thing at all. It's an incredibly beautiful thing to have what you do collide with who you are. 

It just means I have to be incredibly mindful of turning my business and leadership and Scentsy brain off sometimes, and that can be challenging.

This book has reminded me that "the better people are at taking care of themselves, the more effective they'll be in taking care of others, including their families, their coworkers, their communities, and their fellow citizens." But it feels so selfish doesn't it? To put yourself 1st. To give into the things you know you need but often don't make time for?

I started a list....of all the things that re-fuel me, and inspire me, and just make me plain happy. Things like working out, writing, reading, cooking, studying God's word.  Those things ground me. They make me better at being me. They make me a better mom, a better wife, a better Christ follower, a better leader, and a better person all together. I have to remember that doing those things isn't selfish. It's fuel. 

I don't want to merely survive. I want to thrive. And as we face the next month with lots and lots of changes happening in our family (baby brother-in-law moved in today, school starts next week, traveling a lot in September, and then opening our home to foster babies again) I need to make sure that I'm spending time doing things that re-charge me. It's vital really. 

What about you? Are you good at putting yourself 1st? Are you good at indulging in and focusing on the things that make you better in all areas of your life? I'd love to hear what re-charges you.