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Summer is in full swing. This is when we get to spend some extra time with friends, family, and our loved ones. It's also when we are able to take time away from our daily rituals and care for our dear ones.
However, there are times when in the midst of caring for our loved ones, we forget to take care of ourselves. An old adage says, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
With this theme in mind, let me ask, are you taking care of your inner world?
Inner world ~ by this I not only mean spending time with friends and family, but also taking some alone time for yourself and caring just for your Self. Below are some ways for you to fill your empty cup and reconnect with your inner self.
1. Early Rise: Waking up early in the morning can give us some extra time to be with ourselves. This is also a time when one can create some daily rituals of care. For example, practicing some deep breathing, reflecting on life experiences and jotting down thoughts in a journal, or listening to a sermon.
2. Nature Walks: Find a trail or a path around your house where you can go on long walks. Spending time in the wilderness can be very therapeutic and soothing in itself. Sit on a rock and observe the trees in full bloom, listen to the birds chirping, the rustling sound of the leaves. Pay attention to the odor around you. Feel the sensations in your body as you connect with nature. Befriend the silence that this moment brings to you.
3. Spending time in Prayer/Contemplation: Another way to bring some care to your mind, body, and spirit is to spend time in prayer or a contemplative practice of your choice, for example - yoga, meditation, or tai-chi. If practicing meditation, sit in a chair or in a cross-legged position with your eyes closed and guide yourself through the prayer that resonates most with you. If using a meditation technique, pay close attention to the unconscious patterns of how the mind tends to wander in moments of silence.
4. Self-Care Basket: Create a self-care basket for yourself. In the basket include a CD or some music (calm, peaceful, affirmative sounds) of your choice that you’d like to listen to when alone. Add a book of favorite quotations, an empty coloring book, coloring pencils, a journal, some incense, essential oils, and a book that you “plan to read”.
5. Getting Rid of the “ou” Words: When caring for self and spending time alone, refrain from using words that pull you down, for example, “I could, would, should, ought to”…These terms take us away from enjoying the beauty of the moment.
I hope the above self-care secrets support you in bring some care to your life and filling your CUP with rejuvenated energy and a sense of connectedness with yourself.
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