How I Show Up for Myself While Showing Up for Others

By Sean A Moore, RDN, CSOWM, RYT, Mind Body Eating Coach

As a dietitian running my own private practice, with extra certifications in obesity and weight management, plus training as a mind-body eating coach, it’s fair to say there are some pretty high expectations on my plate, as there should be! I’m expected to stay on top of the latest medical science around metabolism and weight management so I can guide my clients with evidence-based care, while having deeply intimate, emotionally complex conversations with clients about their relationship with food and their bodies.

So when it comes to balancing caring for others with taking care of myself, I’m challenged on a daily basis. Simply put, he biggest struggle is staying in touch with myself and my own needs. Like so many people who care for others (which is most of us), I’ve had to set my needs aside to address the needs of others’.

As I’ve worked through this challenge, a few things have really helped me be more consistent with successfully balancing success in my career with refilling my own cup.

Mini breaks are exactly what they sound like: little 2–5 minute pauses throughout the day when I breathe and pull my energy back into myself. For just a moment, I stop. I stop thinking about other people, stop doing for other people, stop doing anything at all and just return to mindful presence in my body. That reconnection is where the magic happens for me. It lets me check in, notice what I need, and figure out what boundaries I might need to set throughout the rest of the day.

Then there are my non-negotiable self-care habits, the things I do no matter how hectic life gets. For me, that’s eating breakfast and lunch (even if it is just a protein shake), staying hydrated, and having dinner with my family. They sound so basic, but they’re often the first things we let slip. And when they go, we don’t just burn out emotionally and mentally, we get physically drained, too. Taking care of my body throughout the day really is the foundation for having the stamina to balance business success with personal well-being.

I also have to remind myself that I matter, so I do an “emotional cup check-in.” How much have I given? How much do I have left to give? And what do I need, either during the rest of the day or at the end of it, to feel filled back up so I can show up again tomorrow? 

Sometimes all I need is a hug and a hot bath.

Finally, having some kind of hands-on creative outlet has been a lifeline. It gives me a way to disconnect, come back into my body, refocus my mind, and let go of the endless mental “to-do list.” Not only does this period of time help me mentally disconnect, it also fills my cup with “self” energy, because the creative endeavor is all mine; it is just because I want to, in the way that I want to, and for me!

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