No, really.  What’s your job? Your role? How many of them do you have?  Mother, sister, writer, junior partner, girlfriend, crazy cat lady.  Those are just a few of mine.  Notice a glaring exclusion?  I didn’t until I read this Oprah interview with Michelle Obama.  In talking about working out at 4:30 AM, the First Lady said, “Well, I just started thinking, if I had to get up to go to work, I’d get up and go to work. If I had to get up to take care of my kids, I’d get up to do that. But when it comes to yourself, then it’s suddenly, “Oh, I can’t get up at 4:30.” So I had to change that. ”

That made me think of my most important job, the role absolutely no one else can perform for me…..that of self.

I am the only one of me (stop thanking the saints under your breath.  I can hear you and it’s rude.)  All of the other roles come after the one of mySELF.  If I don’t care for Self, if I don’t exercise and feed my body, if I don’t feed my heart and my soul, who else will?  Who else even can?

Although I couldn’t find the original interview, I found another FLOTUS quote that said, “Women, in particular, need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.”

I met with Ambrose for a few minutes last week.  He owns a personal training company and is incredibly passionate about helping people motivate themselves to achieve what they had always wanted, but hadn’t really thought possible.  He takes a person’s drive to be better and turns it up to eleven.  As we were talking, I told him about the demands of my job and how I have not found a regular time to hit the gym.  I’m something of a creature of habit and I haven’t been able to form a routine.  But, even as I was saying the words, I heard that FLOTUS quote about changing her thinking in my mind.  I even shared it with Ambrose who was buying none of my excuses anyway. He loved the quote and I felt like a jackass for even trying to float them to start with.

I don’t treat my health like part of my job.  I don’t put myself high enough on my priority list.  I am neglecting mySELF job.  Ten to one says that you are, too.  But, if you’re not, how do you do it? How do you make that time for yourself and keep yourself on task?  How do you change your thinking to excel at yourSELF?