Let's talk about caring for our souls. Who doesn't need a giant dose of that after our recent pandemic life? What does it mean to have a well nourished soul? To me it's about feeling more alive, energized, abundant, centered, authentic, present in your life. It's that feeling of being at peace with yourself and with life, even when circumstances are less than perfect.
To some, this may sound like an unattainable ideal but to a large extent it's a skill that can be developed. There are tools to employ to help us get there. This post will basically be a list of ideas to get your juices flowing. Only you know what works for you. So let's get to it.
MEANS OF NOURISHMENT
Music – Make it, sing it, move to it, listen to it. It's everywhere: birds, laughter, foreign languages, running water, where else?
Connect with people – Have lunch with a friend/coworker. Enjoy a date night with a significant other or friend (put your phone away for the duration). Call a friend or relative. Chat with a stranger. Do a project with someone. Take time to listen to someone.
Serve – Make a meal and share it. Volunteer for whatever charity or event speaks to your heart. Be a polite driver. Smile at passersby. Give sincere compliments. Notice a need and fill it. Write a note or letter of appreciation with actual paper and pen (It's more effective if you mail or deliver it than if you only intend to.).
Move - Activate your body in ways that fill your mind, heart, and spirit.
Notice beauty – Take time and thought to notice art, nature, people walking by, the wood grain of your table, the light in someone's eyes, etc. There really is beauty all around, whether we see it or not. It can only feed our souls if we notice it.
Hobbies – Go to Comic Con. Ride that motorcycle. Travel.
Create – Cook. Garden. Paint. Make soap. Build something. Write.
Be intentionally still (vegging out doesn’t count) – Take a bath, Linger at a café, on your front porch, or in a favorite chair. Lie down for a few minutes or longer. Read enriching material. Notice things. Make time to ponder.
Do a good job - Great satisfaction can be found in a job well done - no matter what the job may be.
Connect with the Divine - Read inspiring works. Meditate. Pray.
Dream - Let your mind take you to uplifting, exciting places.
Reminisce - Find joy in good times gone by. Look at old photos. Talk fondly about "the good ol' days" with a willing partner.
Go outside – Drink in the sunshine, the rain, the wind, the cold. Appreciate the multi-faceted beauty of the sky.
Laugh & smile - in a good-hearted way, not at the expense of someone else.
Be positive - Make a conscious effort to focus on the positive. If you catch yourself thinking or saying negative things, immediately think or say three positive things on that subject. This won't make a difficult situation go away but it will help keep it in perspective and help us find where our power lies.
Learn - about anything. Stimulating our mind feeds our soul, as well.
Forgive - The power and importance of forgiveness cannot be overstated. When we forgive (large or small things), we free ourselves. Freedom is undoubtedly one of the most nourishing things that exists.
Be courageous - There's something undeniably invigorating about appropriately stepping through our fear to do or say something that terrifies us.
Be committed - When we commit to something and follow through we teach ourselves and others that we can be trusted. Deserving trust brings a great deal of peace to our soul.
Be hopeful - Embracing hope and optimism brings light and power and faith, all nourishing elements.
Be playful - Creating a meaningful life is serious business but let's remember the value of play and even some silliness in keeping our sanity and finding joy.
Let go - Like forgiveness, there's great freedom in letting go of things we can't control or influence. This can be a tricky tool to employ. We often feel justified in our hurt, anger, frustration, or whatever. And maybe we are. Whether we're justified or not isn't the point. The point is having a joyful life. When I'm having trouble letting something go, I find the most effective approach is to have a conversation with myself (as frequently as needed) reminding myself of the futility and frustration involved with holding on and the peace and freedom that comes from letting go.
Please, remember this is not in any way, shape, or form a checklist. These are ideas to get you thinking about taking the time to nourish and enrich your soul. It's easier to overlook than our body, but deserves at least as much attention.
If this post resonated with you, please consider sharing it to spread the word. It might be of use to someone you know.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, click HERE to book a session with me.
(This post was first published in 2017.)
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