Make a promise to nurture your soul this May
We continue our journey from planting the seed of intention, to growing, nourishing and nurturing our seed until it grows into its full potential.
As spring begins to bloom, it’s also time for our own beings to open up, grow and step into our greater selves. The only way we can become the best versions of ourselves, is to also give ourselves that which we need in order to flourish.
This May, I’m inviting you to make a promise to yourself to make yourself the #1 priority, no matter what.
Are you feeling a slight hesitation as you read this? Right. Let that discomfort be there, but say it with me aloud:
“I will make myself the #1 priority this month. ”
Now, that’s out of the way, let’s discover how to actually do that!
Why do you need to nurture the soul?
Your soul is what makes you YOU. It’s your pure and beautiful self without the limiting beliefs, patterns, worries, anxieties or other unwanted emotions. The essence of your soul is pure love and does not act from fear or doubt. All of us can be in touch with our purest self, in meditation or moments of clarity. But often we’re too overwhelmed and exhausted, drained of energy, by the many things that life throws at us.
Nourishing the soul means to love yourself unconditionally and wholeheartedly. Even when it isn't always the easiest thing to give yourself what you need, your soul needs to be nourished to regain all the energy that you’ve lost, and to fill up our metaphorical cup so to speak.
What does it mean to nurture the soul?
Nurturing the soul means making yourself a priority. It’s easy to give parts of yourself to everyone else until your cup is empty. It’s also easy to forget yourself, to let life pass you by and stop doing the things that make you happy or give you back energy, simply because it’s too much effort.
Imagine your soul is like a plant. It can probably easily go without water for some time, but soon the leaves will start to turn brown, the soil becomes dry and eventually the plant dies.
All the plant needs to stay happy and healthy is regular water, some fertilizer and care.
The same goes for your soul. We can continue to work and do only things we ‘’should’’ or ‘’must’’ do, such as taking care of the kids, or finishing your responsibilities at work, but sooner or later your engine will run low, until finally it reaches a halt.
How to determine what the soul needs?
In many ways the things the soul needs starts with the basic physical needs: good food, movement and time to relax.
But the point of nurturing the soul is more than just fulfilling the basics. We want our cup to overflow!
Think back at a time when you were a child? What things brought you joy? Were you creative or sporty? Did you like to read or act?
Exercise: Make a list of all the things you used to do as a child that you no longer do.
Often we lose sense of our joy as we turn into adults and don’t allow ourselves to be in touch with our inner child that perhaps enjoys painting, coloring or skateboarding often because of the words ‘’I’m not good enough’’ or ‘’it’s stupid’’.
Like the infamous Marie Kondo quote, with everything you do you should be asking whether or not they spark joy? If the answer is mostly not, then perhaps it’s time to make a change.
Now I’m not saying you can get out of your responsibilities or doing your taxes - unfortunately life doesn’t work that way. But when one thing drains you of energy, it’s important to have another one which gives back more!
If you look at your day to day, do you feel that most of the things you do TAKE energy?
Exercise: Make a list of all of the things that TAKE energy and all of the things that GIVE energy. Put them side by side.
Now, you might not be able to avoid all the things that drain you, but you can create more balance in your day. Whenever you’re feeling drained and low, reflect back at your list and do one of the things that gives you energy. Whether it’s putting the music on loud and dancing it out or taking your SUPboard out for a paddle. Remember, it’s just as important to include fun stuff in your day to day life as it is to do the boring responsibilities.
Intentional ways to nurture the soul
You might be struggling to fill your list with things that could nourish your soul, so here’s some ideas and reflective questions to help you along.
Meditation: meditation Is the best practice to connect with your soul and regain energy
Move your body: Physical activities such as yoga or dancing help you get out of your head and into your body
Music: Make a playlist of your favorite songs that pump you up when you’re feeling low
Be creative: Find ways to let your creativity out, whether it’s painting, knitting or pottery. You don’t have to excel at it, it just has to make you happy
Connect to nature: Going for a walk or out to the water, is a great way to clear your mind.
Read more to inspire you: make a change from Netflix to reading and get lost in a book - even if it’s just a cheesy roman.
Spend time alone or with friends: For some people spending time with people GIVES energy, whereas with others it DRAINS energy to be around too many people. Go out and see friends if you need or stay home alone to recover.
Exercise: What one thing could you change to allow your days to START with more self-care and what one thing could you change to allow your days to END with more self-care?
After reading through this blog and going through the exercises, try to use them as guidance throughout this month’s theme. Experiment this month, try new things and create new habits and see what that does! And remember, whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed and lost come back to your own promise of making yourself your #1 priority.
If you’re interested in working on nurturing your soul, then I invite you to try out one of The Heart Journey classes, whether you are already a member or you are just seeking to start your journey of the heart.
You can join drop-in classes starting as low as 10€/class. Or save by becoming a member and pay €21/monthly to join 4 live classes.
There is a 7- day FREE trial here in which you get your first 3 classes for free.
You can find the weekly and monthly class schedules on the website here.
I look forward to seeing you in class!
NAMASTÉ MARIJKE
Dutchie • Digital Nomad • Travel Junkie
Ocean Lover • Yoga Enthusiast