“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
— Norm Kelly

The restaurant business is one with many highs. But, with the amount of dedication it takes to be successful, it can have many turns.  We often hear about burnout, along with a high percentage of substance abuse. Often, the time balance between home and work feels nearly impossible. The stress of labor problems, cash-flow issues and the world around us can make us feel like our world is crumbling down. The subject of self-care over the past decade is starting to not be such a dirty subject. But for many, admitting that you are struggling with anything mentioned above can seem like a moment of weakness for some reason.

Everyone is different, and everyone has different ways to manage the six-letter monster known as STRESS. Understanding you have to take care of yourself first is a powerful concept. Not everyone can run away to a vacation that is supposed to re-energize you and get your tank filled back up. Whether or not that works is a matter of thought anyway. What I want to give you are some sure-fire things that work for me. They are daily habits that help me.

I have found being grateful for what I already have is a game changer.

Being grateful has to become a deliberate habit practiced before your feet hit the ground. As my eyes open in the morning, I start to go through what I am grateful for. Of course there are obvious ones like relationships with your family. Being exact about what aspects of the relationships you are grateful for is a good way to feel in the morning – because they are genuinely good feelings.

Being grateful for little things like the warmth of the blanket you are wrapped in is a good thing to be grateful for. Nothing is too small or too big. Starting your day being grateful before you get out of bed and have the chance to stub your toe is important. Being grateful and giving gratitude before you pick up your phone, for example, is a much better habit than becoming immediately reactionary to your phone.

I challenge you not to pick up your phone for the first 30 minutes you’re awake up for the next week. You will feel different – especially when paired with expressing gratitude for the people and things in your life.

I mentioned not everyone can just whisk away on vacation at a moment’s notice. What about taking mini “vacations” every day? (Whether it’s a guided meditation or a power nap – or maybe just treating yourself to your favorite espresso.) Do something intentional every day to treat yourself. If you cannot find anything to make you feel better or have a day where you do not feel worthy of a treat, then do something kind for someone else. With that thought in mind, next month we will talk more about giving back, being kind and more self-care.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza