Busy-ness and stress are no strangers in my life. I am adept at managing it all. To replenish my energy, I meditated, slept the requisite 6 hours, ate nutritious food, made lists and check them off – everything to ensure daily life ticks over as it should. Well, I probably could have gotten more than 6 hours sleep if I ‘gave up’ writing but life would be unbearable :-).

Then a friend reminded me to nourish myself. It was then I realised in the midst of ‘doing’ living, I’d somehow forgotten to care for myself. You see, to look after myself as in to nourish myself takes more than eating the right foods and sleeping the recommended number of hours. I know this.

In essence, nourishing is more than meeting biological or physiological needs. Nourishing is about feeding the spirit and soul. By the way, nourish comes from the Latin word ‘nutrire’ meaning “feed” or “cherish”. It is defined as “provide with the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition”. Feeding myself is indeed practical, I dare not dismiss this need. Yet when I use the word ‘cherish’ then the tonality changes. To cherish… for growth, health and good condition… that speaks of something different, don’t you think?

Something like… floating on a cloud, blissful in the flow of life, feeling every sensation. Energised to meet the new day and looking on with a happy disposition at the possibilities, both positive and negative. Mhmm…

So have I cherished myself? Maybe a tiny bit, but not enough. I had dispensed my energy to the extent that I had little reserves left. I have not read much when reading have always fed my soul. I abandoned my walks in nature – to be in nature and in particular, to observe the flora and fauna gladden my heart, lift my spirit. I even stopped eating chocolate – yes, sacrilege indeed 🙂 Particularly, I cannot remember the last time I sat before the piano, indulging in a tune here and there. So many nourishing rituals I’d somehow ‘forgotten’.

So I figured, enough already! I may have been meditating for relaxation but it seems I have to be mindful of not getting caught in the daily grind and to nourish myself as well… one day at a time.

Have you been here, in this space? Busy and believing you are taking care of yourself, when you really are not? When all you do for self is ‘survival’, not nourishment?

Why not write down a list of things which you do for yourself, those gems which nourish your soul, which lift your spirit?

And if you don’t have a list, well begin one now :-). What makes your heart sing? What makes you feel sensual? What inspires you? What gives you a spring in your step even just thinking of it? What makes you feel sated?

When you and I wake each morning, we will look at that list of gems, pick one for the day. We will treat ourselves every day.

Will you join me?

Stay wonderful. You are.

– FlorenceT

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