06/11/2026
Dear Dr. Vail, I know I need to take better care of myself, everyone keeps telling me. But honestly, self-care feels selfish to me. I have a family, a demanding job, and I barely have time to breathe. Where do I even start? ~ Running on Empty
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Dear Running on Empty,
You are not alone. This is one of the most common things I hear in my practice, and your honesty about it is already the beginning of something important.
Here is the reframe I want to offer you: self-care is not selfish. It is strategic.
When you are depleted, everyone who depends on you receives a depleted version of you. Your children, your partner, your team, they deserve your full, replenished self. And so do you.
Start with something small and real. Five minutes of stillness before the house wakes up. A walk at lunch. One evening a week that belongs only to you. The size of the act matters far less than the decision to begin.
Ask yourself this: what becomes possible when I am restored?
Begin there. One small act, this week, for yourself. ๐๐ป
~ Dr. Amy Vail
