Anika’s Pick of the week 13

There are times in life where you have to advocate on behalf of yourself or someone else. I don’t know about you, but I find it much harder to advocate for myself. The therapist I have been talking to has told me it is because I don’t value myself highly enough.

I am sure you have read the information that went around that you should put your oxygen mask on first in an aeroplane and THEN see to your children because if they are panicking, there’s probably not a hope of you being able to calm them without having yours on.

Well, I will admit that there is a lot of truth in this description of your need to be proactive and ensure that you really have put your mask on first. I have known children, and adults, too, who would panic at the sight of any trouble and need you to be able to handle the situation.

Of course, you have to know how to advocate for both yourself and others. Now I really struggle with advocating for myself because my mental health is not where it should be and I start to panic that the person in front of me knows more about my situation/circumstances/body etc more than I do so I must listen to them and do what they say.

However, if you are advocating for yourself, one of the main requirements is that you KNOW what you are doing and wanting to express to others to get whatever help you need. I know this in my head, but when it comes to speaking to others, I tend to kind of crumple inside and not put my opinion across to them.

You know you love your family and you would do anything for them. Advocating, really, starts with yourself (uhoh, I have not been doing this because I have been focusing on my family to the exclusion of myself.

TREASURE

It is a great thing to advocate for your family. But you need to remember to advocate for yourself FIRST so that you get what you need so that you can actually, genuinely help the people in your family.