We all know the importance of exercising and properly nourishing our bodies on a regular basis so we can feel and look our best. But did you know that it’s just as important to exercise and nourish your soul? In fact, taking the time to feed ourselves on this deep level is sometimes even more important than physical fitness and nutrition. When we don’t take care of our core selves, we can’t connect to our spiritual side and be there for those we love on a meaningful level. If we allow this to continue, we can become completely cut off from the best part of ourselves and start to experience mental or even physical breakdown.
Fortunately, the nourishment of your soul is easy when you know what works best for your personal needs. Here are some ideas on what nourishes many people’s souls. As you read, listen to your body to see what it responds the most favorably to so you can choose the path that works for your spiritual journey.
Get Out into Nature
If you spend too much time indoors, you can get run down by poor lighting, synthetic sounds, and a lack of fresh air. It can be amazing what a little time spent outdoors in nature can do for your mind, body, and soul. Take a walk through the park and stop to notice the sounds, smells, and sights all around you. If you’re near water or mountains, take a stroll on the beach or hike the trails. Take note of how much clearer your mind is when you return.
Embrace Silence
Our lives are filled with beeping of electronic devices, the chatter of televisions, and the hustle and bustle of everyone in our personal space. It’s no wonder our minds can start to feel cluttered and we have trouble connecting to our deepest selves. Many of us fear silence because we’re not used to it. We equate it with being ‘bored’ or even ‘lazy’ and so we fill our lives with even more ‘stuff’. Start embracing the silent times in your life. It could be the ten minutes after you wake up when the rest of the house is asleep or the half hour at lunch when you can shut the door to your office and just tune out. The more you cultivate and appreciate silence, the more benefits it will have for your soul.
Practice Meditation
Once you embrace silent time, you can take these moments to the next level by practicing meditation. Meditation has been used for thousands of years to help people clear their minds and focus on peacefulness. It’s an excellent way to combat anxiety and depression and can help you increase your feelings of gratitude and fulfillment. If you need help on your meditation path, there are plenty of apps available that offer guided meditation and can be applied to a number of different situations or moods.
Focus on Gratitude
In almost every situation there is positive and negative. The choice we all make is which one we focus on. When we always try to look at the positive and what we are thankful for, we rewire our brains to focus on gratitude. We can be thankful for the sunny day, thankful that we get to spend a few hours with our children, or even thankful that we have enough money in our bank accounts to buy groceries. It often helps to start a gratitude journal where you write down what you are thankful for each morning or evening. Not only will it force you to focus on the positive, but it will also increase your happiness when you go back to read what you’ve written.
Your soul is the core essence of who you are. When you take the time to nourish and exercise it, you are listening to your inner guidance and re-committing to yourself and your spiritual path. Find out what best nourishes your soul and make it a part of your daily routine.