There is so much that goes on in the world and our individual lives that sometimes, it all just seems too much. We've all experienced this feeling at some point, and we're all bound to deal with it again in the future. Even though life may get tough at times as new responsibilities and challenges are introduced, the most important thing to remember is to prioritize your own self. Self-care is something that should never be compromised; yet we find ourselves doing it more often than not. We place too much focus on school, work, and relationships at the expense of our own health and happiness. I am someone that can absolutely attest to this. I have spent so much of my time trying to appeal to others, living up to expectations and challenging myself to attain perfection, all at my own expense. I slowly but surely started to feel burnt out, disinterested and unmotivated. Even though I still have a long way to go in terms of prioritizing myself and putting myself first, I have been able to recognize and accept that self-care is necessary and should be practiced more often. Whatever it is that helps you reenergize and feel good, do it. Once you start putting yourself first, things fall into place. Work and school seem interesting, engaging and fun. The right relationships start to appear in your life. This is because once you put yourself first, you adopt a better mindset and outlook. Your energy and passion are reignited. Self-care allows you to see what's actually important and valuable in life; in fact, you start to realize your own worth and accept that you don't need to change for anyone or fulfill someone else's demand or expectation. You understand that you are enough as you presently are and that by being the best version of yourself, the right people, opportunities and experiences will appear in your life.