Debbie Sindone
Chief Healthy-Living Officer

Anyone who has been on an airplane has heard the safety speech to put on their own oxygen mask before assisting others with their masks, right? We do this so we don’t lose consciousness ourselves and therefore won’t be able to help others. Hopefully none of us will ever be in a crisis situation like this in an airplane or life in general, but this is a great metaphor when thinking about our day to day lives. Raise of hands: Who out there has put their children, spouse, career, aging parents ahead of themselves??? We all think that taking care of others is a great thing to do and it is! However, if we do it too often, who will take care of us so we don’t lose consciousness?

Many people think putting themselves first is selfish, but we need to get rid of this mindset. Instead, we need to define this as self-care which is the equivalent of putting on your oxygen mask first. Doing things like exercising, going for a walk, eating good food, meditating, etc. are all part of a healthy lifestyle which will help you live longer so you can enjoy your loved ones for years to come. As the Chief Healthy-Living Officer (CHO) at Syrenity Health and Wellness, my job as a health coach is to be an accountability partner to guide clients as they create their own game plan to achieve their version of “healthy.”