Your Soul Needs Care, Too
To be healthy, you have to look after your mind and soul, just like you look after your body. The more you value yourself and your emotions, the easier and easier it will be to live a happy, positive, less-stressed life.
For each person, this will look different. But here are some great ideas to help you start focusing on what makes you feel best and move you toward a place of better spiritual and emotional health.
Stop Over-Thinking.
You don’t need to have all the answers to all of life’s riddles. Life is an unfolding, a discovering, a journey, an adventure. Sometimes over-thinking it all can get you in trouble. You miss out on the journey you’re actually on when you’re stuck only in your head. Take it all in with grace and grace will lead you in the right direction.
Accept What Is.
Stop Pushing. Sometimes you have to accept things as they are. Things you can’t change. Things you can’t help but feeling. Give yourself a break. Stop trying to wade upstream at high tide. Wait it out. Take a breather and go where the current takes you. You can’t control everything so sometimes you have to trust that the current of life will take you where you need to be.
Be Still.
We live in such a rushed, over-stimulated, over-gadget-ized society. Find somewhere beautiful – a park, the woods, your kitchen – and just sit there, still. Absorb the sound of the wind through the trees, the light and the shadows, the peace, and just appreciate the stillness. It’s meditative and calming. Make time for stillness regularly.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.
Comparing yourself to others with envy robs you of appreciation for the sacred place your life is in at any given moment. Everyone has had their own long journey and you don’t know what that journey has been like for them. Where they’ve struggled, what mistakes they’ve made. Use any jealousy you feel as your guide, it’s just showing you what you want in life. Let it lead you to take actions that advance your goals.
Take Actions that Scare You.
Such a tough one. It’s so easy to find a hundred excuses for why you’re not ready to do something you’ve dreamed of. To reach out to someone who could change your life. To apply for that job you’ve always wanted. Remind yourself of how short life is. In the end, any discomfort or rejection won’t really matter. The only way to achieve things you want is to take bold actions. If something scares you deeply, it means you want it deeply, so go for it.
Don’t Let People Walk All Over You.
Being nice and being a doormat are two very different things. I admit I fall into the doormat category more than I should, especially when I’m not feeling my strongest. I was a doormat this weekend to a very rude guest at a friend’s party. I let him stomp all over me with his arrogant word vomit. I regretted not gathering the strength to either speak my mind or properly excuse myself. Being a doormat robs you of your voice and leaves you resentful. Be strong in who you are, don’t let people walk all over you.
– via Gentle Living
Part Of Health Is Protection
A big part of investing in your emotional health is protecting yourself from the things that can do you harm.
No one can live in a bubble and ignore the hard choices life sometimes brings us, but it’s still important to notice the patterns in your life. When a person, activity, or event puts you in a bad place, when it makes you more negative or feel more at risk, it’s time to take stock and see if there’s a way to lessen that effect.
You can also build up the positive, peaceful, affirming moments in your life. The more positive that goes in, the more positive that will come out!
Learn to say no.
So you have been feeling overwhelmed because you are in the habit of saying yes to all kinds of requests? Learn to say no if you need some time and attention for yourself.
Meditate.
This is my favorite tip! I enjoy being in a peaceful sanctuary, away from the noise, crowd and clutter. So whenever I am feeling tense, I would retreat into silence for a while. I practice breath meditation, allowing me to relax my mind. Consider incorporating this tip as part of your regular routine too! You will experience the benefits of mediation.
Go offline.
Reduce mental clutter by going off the internet for a day or even a week.
Journal.
Writing your thoughts and feelings in your diary or on a blog is self-help therapy that does not cost you a single cent.
Flip through albums of old photographs.
Old photos invoke happy memories. I enjoy going through my travel albums. Looking at my pictures – whether they are taken in Alaska, Mexico, Spain, England or Japan – makes me smile.
Let go of emotional clutter.
Spend an afternoon, night or simply allocate some time to clear emotional clutter.
Shield yourself from negativity.
Find yourself surrounded by toxic criticism, scathing remarks and unsupportive comments? Stay away from people who are negative. If you need to be near them, consider shielding yourself energetically.
Trash email messages that you won’t read.
I know you have been meaning to but you have been too busy to read the pile of emails in your inbox. And you know that it will take you ages to get to them. Well, either organize them into folders for those that you are likely to read even after weeks or send those that you suspect you won’t ever read into the trash bin.
Create affirmation cards.
Putting your affirmations on cards can make great reminders. Flipping through them at a later stage also reinforces your commitment for self-care.
– via Evelyn Lim
When do you feel the healthiest? What are the best things you do when caring for your soul?