Generosity Through Self-Care

Most of us are natural caretakers. We do a great job of assisting and loving those around us. However, we sometimes fall short when it comes to taking good care of ourselves. We exert our energies giving to our kids, our jobs, our partners, and others. Then, at the end of the day, we have nothing left for us. If this goes on for too long, we can begin to experience our lives as less than fulfilling.

Recently, more and more of us are opening to the idea of prioritizing our health through radical self-care and self-love. If this sounds selfish, it's only because we've been conditioned to value the needs of others over our own. But consider for a moment that being run down, exhausted, and stressed out lessens our ability to take care of other people. So taking good care of ourselves is actually a very generous act.

Following are some great ways to care for your spirit:

• Daily time alone, reflecting on where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we want to go in our lives is great. It allows us to make contact with our spirits and listen deeply to our own truth. It helps us calm our internal fears and thought-produced problems. Jotting down our thoughts during this time makes this activity even more powerful!
• Hiking and spending time in nature is another powerful way to connect to our spirits. Breathing fresh air while taking in the beauty of our natural world does a great deal to calm the mind and heal the soul. The physical exercise is an additional bonus.
• Reading great books or listening to audio on the issues of spirituality and personal growth is yet another way to get stronger and move more consistently toward the life you desire.

Engage or re-engage in some of these nurturing activities. As you move forward on this path, you will notice that that the constant chatter in your head will be quieted, and as a result you have more patience for others. You will begin putting yourself first in an unapologetic way, with the understanding that the healthier you are, the more positively you affect the people around you.