Recently I had one of THOSE days! You know the ones where just about everything seems to go the opposite of how you thought it would. It started shortly after waking up. I meditated and was feeling good. Then wham! A family member pushed THE button and the storm erupted. It was a morning of setting firm boundaries and wondering if I was too firm. I had deadlines to meet, a list of to-do’s a mile long, and several scheduled appointments I couldn’t miss. Or could I? As I sat and tried to force myself to work it became clear that making myself do anything at that moment was not in my best interest. So I went to Plan B. I took time to turn inward, to see what was at the root of this storm.
I discovered my reaction to THE button being pushed was at least threefold. First, I expected the morning would go smoothly, no hiccups. Second, I did not leave room for anything but Plan A. Third, and most importantly, I discovered that I needed more time for me. The root of my irritation was that it was time to nurture and nourish Nancy.
During this time of year when schedules are packed to the brim and at times overflowing, it’s important to remember to take time to care for you. Here are some tips on how you can nurture you.
*Be in nature. Go outside. Find a place to take a walk, look at the trees, listen to the birds, and feel the breeze. This is a wonderful way to slow down and be with you.
*Have an outlet for your feelings. Keep a feelings journal. Have a good cry. Scribble on paper. Allow space for your feelings. Let them have airtime. If we do not allow space for our feelings, they will find a way out. Might as well have some say on how and when they come out.
*Schedule time each day to check in with yourself. Put it in your calendar. Five minutes. Five hours. Something. You deserve to be a priority!
*Communicate your needs. Let others around you know you are taking time for you.
*Breathe! Notice your breath. Is it slow? Fast? Can you feel it in your abdomen? Chest? Does your breath feel warm? Moist? Put one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Close your eyes and breathe. This is a wonderful way to connect with your body.
*Use the dumpster technique. Any time you think something has to be a certain way or you have to act or behave in a certain way or someone says something that you don’t like, catch that thought and put it in an imaginary garbage can or dumpster. Create new waste bins if the first one gets full. This is a wonderful way to remove the energy of negative thoughts and expectations from your space.
Be creative with ways to nurture you! You are an amazing and beautiful person and deserve to be nourished during the holidays and always.
