Day 4! Spiritual self care. This one sometimes can be hard for people to take - or agree with. Try to separate spirituality from religion. Religion is a belief in a God with a set of rules. Spirituality is more of a belief in yourself and the energies of the world and the universe. Let's discuss some of the suggestions that fall in this category to see what I mean.
Practicing forgiveness. I find this one hard to swallow. Forgiving people, or yourself, for transgressions is really difficult. But it needs to be done. Not forgive and forget - but forgive and let live. Forgive yourself, forgive the other person - for a lapse in judgement, for a poor choice - but that doesn't mean it never happened. You can forgive someone and still not allow them back into your life, or allow them back but not into the same roll. Forgiveness is cleansing for your soul. Forgiving allows your mind and body to let go of any tension or neagtive energy that holding a grudge is keeping stuck inside of you. But you need to truly look from all sides and truly forgive.
Singing and dancing. Have at it! Find songs you love and sing along, feel the music and dance however it comes to you. When you listen to music that you love, it's reaching inside a deep part of you that may not always get a chance to shine. Be it upbeat, sad, angry...listen to what feels right in the moment and let it heal what needs healing.
And finally - one of my absolute favorite self care tips - spend time in nature! My husband and I love spending time oustide - especially going for hikes. Don't take your phone. Just walk in nature, keep your eyes open for wildlife, beautiful scenes....keep your ears open for all the sounds of birds, squirrels, the wind, the water. Feel the ground under your feet, the air on your skin and the sun on your face. Last August (2018) - on one of the hottest weekends of the summer (+40C) - my husband and I went on an overnight 40km hike. The terrain changes from sandy hills to grassy hills, to covered forest floor. It was the hardest, most greuling 2 days I've experienced. Honestly, I dealt with child labour easier. I was hot, tired, and mentally I felt like I was breaking. But David kept with me, kept encouraging me, and kept pushing me to finish. I walked out the 20km on the second day with 13 blisters on my feet right from the start. By the time we got back to our vehicle I was almost crying. But I did it. And I beat every single demon that came knocking. Some of them stepped a foot through the door, but none of them made it in. It showed me how strong, physically and mentally, I truly am when I need to be. Those 2 days in nature started healing parts of me I didn't know could be healed. Nature is one of my favorite therapists (aside from Kelly!).
So what can you do for yourself today that involves spiritual care? Maybe connect with your body and it's energies through yoga? Go outside sans technology? Perhaps take 15 minutes to sing along to your favourite songs? Sign up above and let me know in the comments what your plans are!