Over dinner with a friend, we hit upon the subject of personal balance, aka spiritual alignment. I’m not speaking of religious spirituality, but of nurturing your own soul. My friend, spoke of feeling impatient with her kids, not motivated, tired, uninspired by work - she felt the cause of all this was “getting old”. When I asked her what she had done for herself lately, she replied, “...Cook dinner?” I promptly reprimanded that cooking dinner was NOT something you do for yourself! That is a requirement, an obligation - for some of us even a drudgery! The end result was that she could not name one thing.
Over the last several years I have come to learn how important it is to find time for myself. No one else will make the time for me - hand me an hour or two on a silver platter and say, “Here - enjoy!” I must carve it out of my own schedule.
In order to carve time - I needed to figure out two things. First I had to learn the signs that my reserves were running low - and I was in need of recharging. Second, I had to figure out what types of things recharge me. That may sound simple, but it was and continues to be an evolutionary process. Checking in with myself, and how I am feeling has become a daily task. Whenever I find myself feeling irritable or depleted I run through a mental checklist: Have I worked out? Have I been writing? Do I need some solitude?
I saved an article from Traditional Home magazine, from September 2009 titled, “20 Ways Barbara [Barry] Nurtures Her Spirit.” Barbara Barry’s list struck a cord with me - there are so many items on there that nurture my spirit as well. Now I make a point to notice these things and include them as often as possible in my day, my week, my month. Preventative medicine!
Here are a few of my favorites from Barbara’s list:
“LIGHT It is everything! It illuminates a space and lifts my spirit.”
“SOLITUDE It’s probably the most vital thing that restores my spirit. I don’t watch television or listen to much music. I like silence… in fact, I require it.
“NEW BEGINNINGS The minute I get a new project I feel that sense of excitement and play. It’s my favorite moment in the project because it’s filled with potential.”
“HOME My home is my haven, and it’s a testament to my work - fresh and clean and calm.”
Okay - so my home is not always clean or calm, but it is my haven. It brings me peace. And as much as I love music - I love silence more.
Here are some of my own:
CREATING - Whether its writing, journaling, painting, designing or coloring with the kids. It excites me, connects me - completes me. I get cranky when I haven’t done it!
MUSIC - I love listening to music - the lyrics often have meaning to me - and it gets my creative juices flowing.
WALKS/WORKING OUT - This ties into solitude and music for me - I love having the time to myself and my thoughts. (Which is probably why I don't like gyms) It gets the energy moving; helps rid old/negative energy.
FRESH FLOWERS - Their color, their smell, their beauty. Flowers make me happy. And why wait for someone to send flowers when I can buy a bunch of sunny tulips from Stop and Shop for less than $10?
MOVIES/BOOKS - I love to be swept away - carried into a story. Escape. I am especially sappy for romances! Movies appeal to my visual side, but books have the benefit of lasting longer.
EATING WELL - This is not a very exciting one, but I definitely feel good inside and out when I have had a healthy meal.
MASSAGE/ BODY TREATMENTS - I love the physical contact, the soothing environment, the lighting, the aromatherapy. It appeals to all my senses and more importantly works out my knots and kinks before they turn into bigger issues. I feel cared for.
CLEANLINESS - I get almost giddy when my house is clean and tidy. The same goes for my body. The laundry. My kids. The yard. I like when things are squeaky clean and smelling fresh! ( To the best of my knowledge I do not have OCD!)
There are so many ways to take care of YOU- yoga, running, afternoon tea, vision boards. How do you stay balanced and nourish your spirit? What brings you peace? Joy? Relieves your stress? How do you manage to keep on top of it before life gets out of hand.
I am reminded of the L’Oreal slogan - “Because I’m worth it!” I think that is a mantra we all should adopt. Whenever you wonder if you should splurge on that massage or take the time to go to Yoga, just say, “Yes!” and repeat, “Because I’m worth it!” You are!
Link to Barbara Barry Article:
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