Many of us probably agree with the adage that before you take care of others, you must take care of yourself. But why do so many of us endanger our health to work overtime at our jobs, or choose to silently seethe in anger instead of confronting the people who hurt us? If you are like most people, chances are you are postponing your own needs to meet the needs of others, whether they be your friends, your family or your boss.

How can we overcome this chronic tendency to put other people's needs before our own? I recently spoke with author and Intent Voice Cheryl Richardson, who is probably the best person to go to for the answer to this question. Cheryl's latest book, The Art of Extreme Self-Care, contains 12 month-long sessions where you can start developing your own self-care muscles one month at a time. Each month-long session focuses on a new habit to develop, and some of the topics covered in these empowering sessions may resonate a chord with you