On Nourishment: What is Nourishing to YOU?
I started my coaching certification course last week, Hallelujah, and welcome new chapter! One of our lessons was on Nourishment. Here’s what they stated: “Nourishment is about MORE than food.” YES. Yes. and Yes! Everything in our lives has the ability to nourish us. And when we begin to see the things, people, or ways of being that support or enhance our lives, AND when we begin to choose these things – our sense of well being is enhanced.
I think that many of us get caught up in shoulds or shouldn’ts that have been layered onto us by others (parents, school, society, our work place). Learning to live in alignment with our values, our dreams, and our visions may be a lifetime’s work. And I think that this question might just be the question of the year: “How do I become more deeply nourished – in every area of my life?”
I once heard a man say that he wanted to slurp up life as if it was hearty soup. I love that analogy, and it lead me into thinking about my relationships as opportunities to craft hearty soup, at work, in my family, and in love.
How might I participate differently IF I were to think about what we are trying to create (at work, at home, in my relationships, and conversations), and what ingredients might I bring to enhance the soup we are making? This is pretty simple, I wouldn’t add curry to the french onion soup, nor spicy peppers to the pea soup. I really believe that when we begin to bring consciousness into all the areas of our lives, and we begin to try and bring ingredients to enhance the soup, that every aspect of our lives will become more nourishing.
Here are some areas that I am working on being, or becoming more conscious of nourishment:
My Relationship with Myself
Family Relationships and Conversations
Work and Volunteer projects
My Love Life/Primary Partnership
My Health
My Spiritual Life
My Fitness
The way that I eat
My Home
What is included in your list?
A couple of years ago, I decided make a conscious choice to be around soul-filling people, and do more soul-filling things. Now I see that both of these as a practice, bring more nourishment into my life. So here are some ways that I nourish myself:
My daily Yoga practice
Walks with my dog
Looking on the bright side
Buying myself fresh cut flowers
Getting on the water, to paddle, swim, or float
Eating high quality protein sources as often as possible (Choose: Grass Fed, Free Range, and Wild Caught).
Choosing to buy/eat organic, whenever possible
Taking myself out to dinner
Taking a class
Making a bucket list, and taking steps toward making these items come true
Leaving that job or relationship that is toxic
Reducing environmental toxins
Walking on the beach
Choose Gluten Free, as a life-style
Listening to my heart
Saying No, when I need to
Saying Yes, when I want to
Choosing Positive self-talk
Practicing Gratitude
Saying Please and Thank You, to others and myself, more often
Love, as often as possible. Love what I do, Love what I eat, Love the physical challenges of life, love it all – lumps included.
So I encourage you to ask yourself, what might it look like to choose to nourish yourself, your relationships, conversations, your spiritual practice, and your health? And I challenge you to begin to focus on nourishment in your life, today, this week, this month, this year….
What is nourishing to You?