Physical Exercise Is Great, but Don’t Forget to Charge Your Spirit
What comes to mind when you think of a healthy body? Toned muscles, a strong heart, clear skin, shiny hair…the things we can see are what come to mind first. A big piece of being healthy includes a healthy soul, or spirit, or whatever you like to call it. If we ignore this part of us, we may look healthy on the outside, but are decaying on the inside.
Haven’t you every met someone who looks fantastic, but after chatting with them you find they are not enjoying life? Is this you? Being honest with yourself, are you overwhelmed by life? Or maybe waking up in the morning dreading the day ahead of you? Are you losing enthusiasm about life, you get through the day, but that’s it? If you are answering “yes” to these questions, your spirit needs some TLC.
So how do we nourish our souls? What is something you deeply enjoy, something you are passionate about? It’s ironic how we don’t tend to make time for those things we truly enjoy. It’s easy to get caught up in work, family, house cleaning. Things that are very important, but don’t really help us thrive. Take me for example, I adore reading.
There is nothing more luxurious than lounging on the couch with a bunch of pillows and a blanket. Add a mug of hot tea and a few squares of dark chocolate and I’m in heaven. When my daughter was born, I didn’t make time to read (I had a newborn for crying out loud!), and my poor soul suffered. I was miserable.
I am still amazed how much more grounded and energized I feel when I make time to read. So what’s yours? Take a few moments and really ponder this… listen to that little voice in your gut. Maybe a long, candlelit bubble bath? Or catching up with a couple of girlfriends over brunch? Do you like to write or knit or bake bread?
After you know what you want to do, make time to do it! Pencil—no—pen it into your calendar on a regular basis and don’t you dare cancel it! When you take time to do something with your own enjoyment in mind (don’t think about others here, just you!) you revive your zest for life. You have more energy to take care of your family and friends. Feelings of being overwhelmed or stressed melt away. Life is fun again.
Now, the only way you are going to get a healthy spirit is to take action. So please, please, pretty-please don’t put this off until next month or next week. Start this week. Yes, I understand you are busy, but there is some little thing you can do for yourself within the week.
No one is going to do this for you, you need to step up and take the responsibility of caring for your spirit. I know I’m being pushy, but this is important. And once you do that special something for yourself this week, make sure it happens again, and again, and again!
Make the commitment to care for your soul once a week. Stick to this and you will not only feel your spirit energize, you will be setting an incredible example for other women. Who knows? Maybe your mom or best friend will start to take better care of themselves because of what they see in you!
Michele Gorny is a mother, wife, business owner and fitness specialist and nutrition adviser. Michele practices a holistic approach to well-being and is dedicated to helping people discover how healthy one can be when connected in mind, body and spirit.
