Do you ever get a word, phrase, or song stuck in your head for days on end?
And no matter what you do, it just keeps showing up? Sometimes it can be so
irritating, but sometimes it can be incredibly inspiring.
But for some reason, this week, I keep coming back to the word nurture. It
keeps showing up in my conversations, in my emails, and even in my guided
meditation this morning. I decided to get curious and go deeper into what it
means to nurture.
nurture:
definition: the process of caring for and encouraging the growth
or development of someone or something.
synonyms: care, nourish, direction, safe keeping, attend to, provide
for, gentle guidance
antonyms: neglect, indifference, disrespect, hinderance
We nurture so many things in our life – our kids, our pets, our friendships, and
even our plants.
But how difficult it is in our culture and in our busy lives to prioritize nurturing
ourself.
So often we can get caught up in pushing, forcing, and shaming ourselves in
order to make the “progress” that we think we should be making, or to meet
the expectations that are weighing on us.
Sometimes those expectations are external, but I think more often than not,
they are internal – coming from our expectations that we put on ourselves to
do it all, be organized and perfect, and to keep up with those around us.
But nurturing means just the opposite. Nurture is the process of caring for and
encouraging the growth or development of someone or something. And that
someone includes ourself.
Over and over again, science is showing that we cannot push, force, or shame
ourselves into healing. It is only through awareness, self compassion, self care
that we’re able to relax the limbic system and allow our body to access the
energy and resources that allow healing.
For me, that especially means daily time for meditation and reflection. Then,
depending on what I need, I’ll also include other tools like journaling, spending
time in nature, movement and meaningful conversations with close friends.
How do you nurture yourself?
What tools do you use to let go of those old patterns of pushing, forcing, or
shaming yourself?
How do you prioritize nurturing and caring for yourself in the same way you
nurture and care for others?
If you’d like to get curious about what it means to nurture and care for yourself,
I’d love to talk and brainstorm with you.
Whether you’re already doing a neural retraining program, or just getting
started, I offer a free 30 minute session to connect and see how I can help.
If you’ve considered coaching and wondering if it is something that can help
you move forward in your retraining, this is a great time to ask questions with
no pressure and no obligation. Here’s a link to my calendar. I’d love to get a
chance to meet and hear your story
