A lot of people I know work very hard at making sure everyone in their lives are ok. Did they get enough to eat? Do they have what is needed? Are they getting their homework done? Are they safe at work? Are they making healthy choices?

Does this sound like you? If so, take a moment and focus these questions on yourself.

Everyone is different, and most of my advice on goal setting is to find someone you care about and do it for them. When we help others, we are rewarded. And this built-in reward system can be used to make our lives better, especially for those struggling with situations or issues in their lives.

For some people, this system gets out of wack. Their entire life becomes about taking care of others. Their health and fitness and mental state break down, and eventually, the person collapses in some way or the other.

The trick becomes to realize that the current way will not work for much longer. You need to take care of yourself to take care of others. This is always true. If you are a mess, you are a flawed support system—possibly even a damaging one.

Take a moment and answer these two questions to help get yourself back on the self-care track.

What do I enjoy doing? You may have to go back to your childhood to find something. Or this may be very easy for you to answer.

When is the last time I did something that makes me healthier? Do I do this consistently?

After you have your answers, plan a day and time to do each of them this week. Write it down, put it on your schedule. And then do it.

See how it goes. If you need to adjust the time and activities, that is fine. Make the adjustments, and make this a permanent part of your schedule.

Taking care of yourself helps you take care of others.