Self-nurture, you ask, when do I get time for this? Everyone is struggling in this time of busyness, chaos, and uncertainty and we may forget to nurture ourselves making it even more important to take time to do things that are nurturing to our body, mind and soul.
The transformative power of self-nurturing is simply looking after yourself in a way that nurtures your mind, your emotions, your physical well-being, and your creativity. When you nurture yourself, you are then able to nurture others more fully, such as your spouse, children, family, friends and finally, your ‘fur’ children. There are many ways in which you can utilise the transformative powers of self-nurturing so that you are healthier, happier and more loving in general.
There are a few main categories of self-nurturing practises:
physical
Your body is your temple, as the saying goes, and it gets you through your days and your life. It is the foundation for your health and well-being. It is your vitality; your strength, and it is your energy sustaining you.
Physical self-nurturing incorporates things like exercise, sleep, eating healthily, and self-care.
Exercise is important for nurturing your body. It not only burns calories, builds muscles and strengthens your bones but it also releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones. I am always amazed when I have let my exercise drop off because I am painting or at the computer too much, and then when I start again, I am much happier and confident. Any exercise is helpful and that can include yoga, Tai Chi, walking in nature, dancing, swimming or cycling. Try mixing them up a bit, doing things that inspire you on any particular day.
Sleep
Sleep is important to nurture your body. It helps to heal, restore energy, repair tissues, and regulate your hormones. It is also important for concentration, mood and performance. You need 7 to 9 hours per night of good quality sleep. To improve your sleep, you can create a regular schedule, avoid caffeine and alcohol at night, create a comfortable, cool, dark environment, and relax before bedtime preferably without a ‘screen’ in front of you as this activates rather than calms.
Nutrition
Eating healthily is a vital way to self-nurture. When you eat healthily you receive essential minerals, vitamins, and nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and water. These are all required for the body’s functions such as digestion, metabolism, immunity, and growth.
It is advised that it is beneficial to eat more fruits and vegetables. whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, less processed and fast foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. Pure water is optimal for health and well-being.
Self-care
This is an important way to nurture yourself. Things that give you pleasure like having a massage, taking an aromatherapy bath, having a personal tea ceremony, or doing something creative. Creativity is a large topic in itself, and everyone is creative in some way. It may be that you love cooking, and this is your creative inspiration. Maybe you are a gardener, a painter, a knitter, or a musician, to name just a few. Anything creative stirs our juices and enhances our well-being making us feel more enlivened.
Social Connections
In this time, we have become quite isolated, especially with COVID having us all creating our lives in completely different ways. We all require meaningful social connections in life, and this covers areas such as having a community of like-minded people who appreciate you, family and friends that encourage and support you, as well as workmates who are friendly and supportive. Having this beneficial support creates a life of harmony and joy. If you have ever watched the movies or read the books about the Blue Zones by Dan Buettner, where there are certain places in the world where people regularly live to over 100 years old happily and healthily. You will see that one of the things they all say is vital to them is having beneficial personal social connections. This can be in the form of spending time with loved ones, joining a like-minded community, volunteering, etc.
Mental / emotional
One of the most important aspects of the transformative power of self-nurturing is ustilising techniques that support and enhance how we move through our days. These can involve meditation techniques, visualisations, therapy, hobbies, etc. that are beneficial to you personally – there are so many techniques out there now and it’s about finding the ones that suit you. I remember a yoga and meditation teacher I had many, many years ago once said to me “Maia, I want you to find the technique that you love every day”. I still use this advice as I try out various techniques, whether in mediation, chanting, or whatever. If I don’t like it, I let it go, and stay with the ones that make me feel happy, peaceful, loving, and joyful.
In conclusion, the transformative power of self-nurturing is so important for everyone and it’s essential to find the things that make you feel more happy, healthy and loving…….do what you love every day to enhance and transform yourself. I love Ghandhi’s saying “Be the change you want to see in the world”. So, if you want to see more peace, love, and joy in the world, as I do, then first we must work towards having love, peace, and joy within ourselves. That then goes out in a ripple effect to others as we live our lives in peace and harmony. By using the transformative power of self-nurturing, we are able to allow this flow out in waves to all we encounter.