Choose yourself

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Last Friday, I attended a work event that was followed by a cocktail session. The event ended around 2:00 p.m. and the cocktail session was meant to start at 4:00pm and was expected to stretch well into the evening. As the minutes passed and nothing much was happening, I found myself thinking about my usual Friday workout from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

I had a choice to make. I could stay because that was what everyone else was doing, or I could keep the commitment I had already made to myself. I chose the latter.

I left, completed my workout, and returned by 6:30 p.m. The cocktail continued until around 8:30 p.m., so I still had plenty of time to enjoy the food, conversations, and networking with my colleagues.

What surprised me was their reaction. "Where were you?" they asked. "Did you really go to exercise?" When I admitted that I had, many commented on how disciplined and consistent I was. While some remarks felt like genuine compliments, others made me wonder if people found it strange that I had prioritized my health over staying at the event the entire time.

Later that evening, another colleague stood up and announced he was leaving for his regular swimming session. Everyone wished him well, and that was the end of it. No questions. No surprise.

It reminded me of another story I once heard. A woman realized she had stayed on the phone until 4:00 a.m. with someone she was dating, sacrificing her sleep before work. The man, however, on the day he had a major work event the next day ended their calls at 10:00 p.m and informed the lady politely and firmly that he had to rest to prepare for the next day’s presentation. She later admitted that the lesson wasn't about him. It was about her learning to value her own time just as much.

That is the lesson I carried home. We often treat commitments to ourselves as optional while treating commitments to others as non-negotiable. Yet our health, rest, and personal growth deserve the same respect.

Sometimes choosing yourself isn't about making a grand statement. It's simply about keeping the promise you made to yourself, then returning to enjoy everything else with a clear mind and a healthy body.

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