There is definitely a difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself. It has taken me 21 years to learn this, but once I did learn, I became a much happier and healthier person. If you’re anything like me, you live a busy hectic life, and you are constantly asked to do things for other people. While it is a wonderful thing to help others and to be involved, there gets to be a point where it becomes unhealthy. There will be people who take advantage of you because they know that you can’t say “no”. College has taught me that I struggle to say no when I am asked to do something, and that I am afraid to say no because I don’t want to be perceived as selfish or as a bad person. As a college senior, I am finally able to put my foot down and say no when I need to, and it has helped immensely.

We feel selfish for taking care of ourselves because it means that we cannot give our all to others. When I am feeling overwhelmed, however, I can’t give my all because I am distracted and unhappy. Your true friends will understand if you need to step back and take care of yourself first, so who cares if others perceive you as selfish? For me, taking care of myself has been stepping back from some leadership positions and having more alone time. When I am less overwhelmed, I can truly be there for others instead of hiding behind a mask.

A selfish person is someone who only cares about themselves. Wanting what is best for yourself and wanting to be happy and healthy does not and will not make you a selfish person. If anyone tries to tell you this then they do not deserve you in their lives because everyone deserves happiness. So, next time you take on too much and you need to step back, learn to take a deep breath and say no. Be kind to yourself because you cannot do the same for others if you do not take care of yourself first. You have one life and you are in control of how you get to live it.