Why It's Important To Fill Your Cup First
Before my love for coffee took a big leap, we weren’t always in alignment. When I was younger the extent of my coffee drinking was sitting in the mudroom with my Pops before he would head out to the field. We would each pour a cup and I would let mine cool for a little while. When it was finally the right temperature, you know what happened next: I dipped my Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies into it and ate them. Cookie after cookie after cookie and not one sip of the coffee itself. Once my cookies were done I could officially begin my morning. Eggs and cereal seem a little bland these days compared to the health-infused breakfasts that were downed when I was younger.
Today I stick with black coffee or the occasional Vanilla Latte. For those of you who order a Triple Pump Caramel Hazelnut Vanilla Butterscotch Chocolate Mint Fudge Frappuccino with extra sugar, keep doing you.
Nowadays, I love coffee. Coffee fuels me as it does a lot of you. There are several other things that fuel me that are focused on daily, weekly, and even monthly. We all enjoy different hobbies, careers, and relationships and have identified things that bring us happiness. Finding things that make you happy are easy, but why are they important? What does it mean to fill your cup?
I’ve heard that saying randomly throughout the last couple of years and was reminded of it during a recent conversation with a friend of mine. We’ve all been through times in our lives where we are being pulled in a thousand different directions, saying yes when we may be thinking no, or always tending to and taking care of others first. To consistently help others and please everyone is admirable yes, but it’s not sustainable nor realistic. You can’t please everyone.
I referenced this briefly in the post Wave Rider. We use our characteristics, personalities, skills, passions, and love to ultimately serve others. This is consistent in everyday life, our families, and our careers. What is even more consistent? In order to serve and utilize your gifts to help others, your cup must first be full. You must be confident, energized, and take care of yourself before you can positively affect other aspects of your life. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Someone recently commented to me that a big part of enjoying life is to become the best possible version of ourselves. Everyone is a better person when they take care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Taking care of yourself needs to be a priority and we have to be intentional about it. Whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour, carve out “me time” every day where you can focus on filling your cup. For some it might be a walk or workout. For others it may be soap carving or tending your land on FarmVille. If you are a parent it could be locking yourself in a dark closet so you can close your eyes for 2 minutes and breathe.
What If We Don’t Take Care of Ourselves First?
If you don’t take care of yourself it’s going to show up in a variety of ways in everyday life and can typically align with work, family, and relationships. Do you feel like you are consistently tired or lack energy? Whenever I feel empty it’s a reminder that I need to recharge. Is a lack of confidence or success at work affecting how you show up every day? Take time to yourself to refuel. Are you on a short fuse with your kids or feeling overwhelmed at home? Your cup might be empty. Does your relationship feel dull? Are you going through the motions or feel like you’ve lost the spark? The Law of Attraction says you will attract into your life whatever you focus on. Want a fun, spontaneous, and energetic relationship with your partner? Then be fun, spontaneous, and energetic yourself. How do you consistently be those things? Keep your cup full.
Most of us will immediately say to ourselves “I just don’t have time.” We all have time. It’s how we utilize it. It’s about what we are prioritizing in our lives and I believe that taking care of yourself first, fueling your mind and body, and being the best YOU should be one of them. Take a quick look back to Why Do We Feel So Busy on some thoughts around priorities.
We all have our hobbies and passions that energize us and bring us joy. Those need to be focused on and taken care of even through all the curveballs life throws us. Carve out time to take care of YOU! When your cup is full you have the energy to serve others. You are able to pour from your cup and contribute to other cups. Who doesn’t love a full cup (of Joe)?
Alright, wrap it up Folgers. I want you guys to copy and paste the following questions into an email and shoot me your thoughts. I’d love to gather some feedback and see if we can extend the conversation. Email me at theitsjustjakeblog@gmail.com and connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
What areas of your life have been affected by an empty cup?
What have/are you going to do about it?
Don’t be afraid to Espress Yo-Self.
