Let me tell you something  a little ironic (and without breaking into song, thanks Alanis Morissette):
Last week I, the author of I don’t want to be stressed, was overwhelmed by stress.
And I didn’t need any reminders from anyone about how I am meant to be the expert at managing stress.  Quite simply I was stressed – drowning in my workload and feeling swamped by builders and plumbers renovating my house.

During that time, I was extremely aware of the fact that if I didn’t do anything to look after myself, I would quickly burn out.  And for me, that would mean a major decline in my already dodgy health.
So I took myself off for a massage in the middle of a busy day when there were a lot more “important things” that I “should” have been doing. None of those things would have actually happened if I didn’t stop to take care of myself.

I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to make yourself a priority.
There is so much to do, and so much to be responsible for that we forget the most important part – ourselves!
It is like expecting a train to run with a burned out engine.
No matter how much you think that you have to do, it is more important to look after yourself.
And hopefully you have one or two tools that you can use to look after yourself and to take time out.
[A huge shoutout to the wonderful people at The Footspa in Killarney who always fit me in when I come running into their spa begging for an urgent appointment.]

The other thing that really helped me was the really little things – the people who said thank you, the people who gave me compliments and the people who checked in to see if I was OK.  It cemented the idea that it is really the little things that count.
When last did you compliment somebody? Or give someone a hug? How often do you say thank you meaningfully?
Make it your mission to be kind and thoughtful – as the saying goes:
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about” ~ Wendy Mass