I belong to a book club. About once a month, we choose a book, read it, then get together to discuss it. The idea is to expand our horizons, and read books we might not normally choose. I joined of my own volition.
I constantly get razzed by my success partners because, quite regularly, actions related to my book club end up on my list: getting the book, reading a certain number of chapters or pages, etc. And it frequently ends up coming down to the wire whether I actually complete the book by the deadline. The others give me grief, wondering why I joined a group such as this if I find it so difficult to keep on track and get my reading done.
I can see the irony, but I defend it by saying that even things we enjoy doing sometimes are challenging to get done. And often, things we would like to do for ourselves fall by the wayside in favor of other things that seem to be more important. Sometimes it is important to make ourselves do things that are just for us. Otherwise they may not happen at all. I put reading on my actions list not just because its good for me to read new books and expand my horizons, but because if I didn’t schedule that time for me, I know that I would probably not make time for it. It would fall to the bottom of the pile of a list of other actions that seem to be more important than something that is just for me.
Do you find that you tend to neglect yourself in favor of others, or actions that seem more important and less selfish? Do you also find it difficult to do something for yourself, to the point that if you didn’t put it on your action list it would not get done? I think a lot of us tend to put our own needs at the bottom of our priorities list. I would like to know if you agree, and how you deal with it.