Sacrifice for others...Sacrifice for self??

So it seems that we go through our daily routine without ever really taking a step back and looking at our actions and who we do them for.  Every day is a sacrifice and a commitment to something or someone, its just gotten to the point that its no longer viewed as such.  We sacrifice and commit to work, relationships, kids, friends, and strangers every single day.  Do we ever think of them as such or have they simply become routine?

We commit and give so much of ourselves to our family and friends; that committing to our own health, hobbies, and sanity is nearly impossible.  With everything that we do, one of the hardest things is making a commitment to ourselves.  Why is that so hard?  It should be the easiest of them, despite the difficulty of the commitment, because we are doing it for our self. 

I think we try new things and when faced with a little difficulty we quit.  Our own reasons don't carry the same weight as doing it for our spouses or children.  But what do you sacrifice by not making those changes or finding the time? These are all weak minded excuses that allow us to simply give up. Life is hard, marriage is hard, children are harder...yet we all manage to stay strong and get through them. 

What is the comparison between not eating processed foods or working out daily and being married?  Which would think is an easier task to manage?  Marriage takes a lot more work and sacrifice than going to the gym, changing the way you eat for you and your family, or sticking to a new hobby / lifestyle.

Its time we do something for ourselves and let our own reasons be enough to carry us through the hard parts.  Stop quitting on yourself and find the value in your own life for you.  Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your family and friends.  Children learn their habits from parents, so set a good example to get them off to a great start.  If nothing else, show them that if you want something that you can get it with discipline, commitment, and sacrifice. 

Try something new for you.  It can be anything that you have always talked about.  Pick up a new hobby, start reading more, put down the cigarettes and donuts.  Get your life together and start living it the right way, not the accepted way.  The accepted way is full of excuses, quitters, and wanna be's.  Time to rise above the crap and get moving forward.

Hang in there, because it is a rough ride and will take everything you have to get there.  When you do arrive, you can look back at all that YOU accomplished on your own and be proud of your sacrifices and how far you have come. Sometimes it is a very lonely road, but remember that you are never alone.