Why do the airlines tell you to “Put On Your Own Mask First”? Because before you can help others, you must first take care of yourself.

Successful people have healthy self-concepts; they have taught their internal “self-talk” to be a focused coach and cheerleader, never a relentless critic. Entrepreneurs are their own BFF, they believe in themselves while keeping an open mind. Or in Kipling’s immortal phrase: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too.” The essence of self-nurturing is self-love. Learning to love and accept one’s self in a healthy way is not selfish, rather quite the opposite, for you cannot give others what you do not have. Self-love, self-acceptance, self-support/nurturance is the first step in learning to nurture others.

One comes to nurture and accept one’s self first by releasing all thoughts that hurt all, letting go of all attack thoughts against oneself. Substituting instead an active search for and building of positive traits, behaviors and abilities, learning to compliment one’s self, steadily increasing your self-esteem.

Six Books to Help “Put On Your Own Mask First”

“Love is Letting Go of Fear” by Gerald Jampolsky

“Unlimited Power” and “Awaken the Giant Within” by Tony Robbins

“Learned Optimism” by Martin Seligman

“Real Magic” by Wayne Dyer

“Feeling Good” by David Burns

“The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier