Nourishing Yourself
What does it mean to nourish yourself? What feeds your energy, mood, soul? What makes you feel lighter? These questions can be difficult to answer. Somehow, we are stumped when we try to identify the things that feed us – especially if you are a caregiver. (If you came up with ideas right away, CONGRATULATIONS! Keep reading.)
There are so many suggestions for self-care, about what we should do (30+ Ways to Nourish Yourself) or how we can make ourselves the priority (The Paradox of Self-Care). Our physical body needs food and water to survive. Good foods will support a healthy body and mind, promoting a sense of lightness and ease. We also feel better if we sleep well and move enough. Our minds also need to be nourished, fed with things that inspire us or help us grow. Maybe you can do some yoga, or get a massage or a facial. Before you get overwhelmed with adding all these things to your to do list, maybe you can simply start by checking in with yourself to see what you need in this moment.
Take a moment to sit still, close your eyes, and let your mind rest (you can focus your attention on taking a couple of purposeful breaths). Then ask yourself, “What do I need right now? What do I need to take care of myself today?” Whatever comes up is the right answer. *NOTE: avoid editing yourself in this exploration. Think about the qualities of what you need – rest, play, connection, whatever.
Listen to your body. Notice reactions to ideas or requests. If someone asks you to do them a favor, do you feel helpful or resigned? When you think about running to the store or scheduling some self-care, do you feel excited or exhausted? When you think about going for a walk or doing exercise, do you feel revived or resistant?
If you cannot name the emotions you are feeling, identify the physical sensations. Take a mental inventory of your body, start at your head and move down through your torso, sensing your muscles, heart, lungs, and your gut. Notice sensations of lightness, heaviness, tightness, or agitation. Take time to recognize what your body is telling you as you bring up the questions about what you need.
One you’ve identified what you need in the short term, think of what you can do to get what you need. Maybe a week at the beach is not doable right now, but what qualities of that experience can you create right now? Maybe it’s finding a comfortable place to sit outside, turning off the notifications and demands of others, connecting to nature around you – even for just a short time. Identify the simple qualities of what you need and then make the choices necessary to nourish yourself.