So I did a little word association with myself for this one. When I thought of the word nourish, the first thing that came to mind was a cookie. I probably need to work on my self-care regime… But, even on second thought, it still rings true. I of course value the other sense of the word nourish, feeding our wellbeing from a nutrient standpoint… but, the biggest part of nourishment is soul food. What feeds your soul, what fosters your grin, what makes the bliss bubble up. Yes, the right cookie does ALL of that for me.
Before I went to school to become a naturopath, I took a holistic nutrition program. It was my first introduction to true holistic wellness. It introduced me to more self-awareness around the connection between our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. This is talked about a lot more now, but at the time I was completely unaware of how my mental and emotional health could affect my physical body. We were asked to do case studies on patients assessing health from a holistic perspective, and I realized I didn’t have any of the answers to the questions I was asking around mental and emotional wellbeing. “What do you do to foster your sense of well-being?” “What is your self-care go to?” … I had no idea what to do for myself, when I was feeling stuck. Truly, I don’t think I was even self-aware enough to know when I needed to focus on taking care of myself.
The problem with this, is I had no awareness or tools to get to a more positive space. I didn’t know how to be responsible for my wellbeing. One of the best lessons it pushed me learn, was how to nourish myself. How to identify what I needed, what I didn’t, how to carve out space to be my best self, and when I need to make changes for the better. It takes mindfulness, being able to notice your own patterns, and knowing the unique way needed to care for yourself. All skills that I can say I really didn’t have or attempt to learn, until my late 20s.
In all my education, and things learned, I’d have to say that learning how to check in and nourish my own needs, has been the most empowering yet…. And I’ve still got a whole lot to learn in that department. Thanks to the Mndsight wellness team and this month’s theme, I get to revisit this all over again. Cheers to seeking out new ways to make the bliss bubble up!