Sometimes it’s hard to find time for myself. Sometimes I put my clients first, sometimes I eat the pizza, sometimes I lift the weights, sometimes I run the miles, sometimes I eat the pizza (again). LOL.

But all the time I fall deeper and deeper in love with the process and deeper in love with the lifestyle, deeper in love with myself, selfishly loving myself and wanting the best for myself.

They say we must remember to love ourselves first. Whoever “they” may be, I’m listening!

Last week I had the opportunity to talk to a group of educators about being selfish.

The world has such a negative perspective of the word selfish. It is not selfish to take care of yourself, to want the best for yourself or to make your health a priority — it’s necessary. It’s self-preservation.

As adults we are so quick to say we don’t have the time for classes, walks, meal prep and the like. Really and truly, we have the time for what we want to have time for.

It’s about selfishly making time for your health, loving yourself so much that you want the best for yourself. Mind. Body. Spirit.

Let me just say that being selfish, loving yourself first and developing a positive relationship with yourself sets a strong foundation in which you are able to foster deeper and healthier relationships with others.

It’s most definitely not about putting your needs above others whilst using people for personal gain, which is negative. This lifestyle of fitness and wellness goes hand in hand with self-love.

The more you love yourself and make time for your health, the more you will want to put wholesome things into your body; the more you will make time for yourself.

You get the picture. It’s an amazing cycle and it begins with selfishly loving yourself first.

You will find that your relationships will improve, your mindset will improve and you will have more to offer the world. If we all learn to love ourselves first, the world will be a more loving place.

How are you feeling about yourself? In love? In love with taking care of yourself?

• Dre is a retired track and field athlete who is a personal trainer, aerobic and yoga instructor and fitness “addict” with more than 20 years’ experience. She specialises in nutrition, weight and sprint training, operating out of HindsSight Fitness and Wellness at the Berkeley Cultural Centre. Contact her on: absbydre@gmail.com or 599-0412. Find her on both Facebook and Instagram under @Absbydre