Focusing on the Positve, A-Z; Day 14: Nourish

Nourish (verb)

: to provide (someone or something) with food and other things that are needed to live, be healthy, etc.

: to cause (something) to develop or grow stronger

1

:  nurture, rear

2

:  to promote the growth of <no occasions to exercise the feelings nor nourish passion — L. O. Coxe>

3

a :  to furnish or sustain with nutriment :  feed

b :  maintain, support <their profits…nourish other criminal activities — Beverly Smith>

What do you do to nourish yourself, your soul? Is it taking that 5 minute break to just get centered? Or maybe saying no to going out with a friend so you can stay home and read that book? Whatever it is that you do to nourish your life force, to recharge the batteries, it is vitally important that it remain a focus in your life. If you are unable to provide that elixir, you will most assuredly find yourself less than content with life.

This is a great reminder for myself. I get to going, taking care of this, taking care of that, go, go, go, that I don’t stop to take the time to nourish myself until I find myself completely discontent with pretty much everything and exhausted. I’ve been working on that though.

I don’t know if it is my age or the path I’ve walked or the fact that I have started this blog (6-1/2 months now!!), but I have found myself searching for ways to nourish my soul while still taking care of all that I do. This blog is one thing that nourishes me. So is my camera. But, sometimes, a lot lately, it seems as if there just isn’t enough time to get to those activities as often as I would like.

My husband decided he wanted to try out Spotify last month. It didn’t hit me right away, but I soon came to the realization that if I downloaded some meditations I would have a way of nourishing my mind and soul while being the worker bee I am. Yes! And in true me style, I went a little overboard. I guess persuing the nourishment like a starving soul finding bread is just an indication that I have been needing more nourishment in my day.

Just the addition of this one method of feeding my soul has started to show me other things I have missed having in my life that I could have had all along. Why these other things have fallen to the wayside I’m not sure. Little things, like listening to music while cleaning. Simple, right? Yet, I have not been doing this. I couldn’t tell you why. Perhaps I’ve just been too focused on moving forward in my life. The silly thing about that is that if I don’t nourish the me, I am setting myself up for failure when I crash.

So, today I challenge those that are reading this series to go out today and find at least one thing that you haven’t done for a while that brings you pure joy and/or contentment. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it feeds you. Jump in a puddle like you did when you were just a kid. Bake something. Read that book you’ve been thinking about for months, even if you can only squeeze in 5 minutes of reading. Meditate. Dance like no one is looking. Laugh at yourself. Find your smiles, light up your soul, empower yourself. It really is about the little things.