There is so much emphasis in the wellness world about eating the right thing, doing the right exercise and taking the right supplements, yet some of the most impactful changes to health are not about what you are doing, they are about how you do them. My clients are the people who are working hard to do the right things and yet feel they are missing something because they are not feeling the difference that has been sold to them by that supplement or health trend. One of the strategies you can employ to make the difference for yourself is to bring mindfulness to what you are doing.
This is the gift I want to give you this month - Your loving and mindful presence is enough. It is part of human nature to see all the things we haven’t done. We look at what was not enough or not good enough. Yet how much better would we feel about ourself and our life if we focused on what we did achieve and what we have, rather than what was not achieved or what we don’t have. This month, let’s celebrate the fact that we still keep showing up for ourself and others despite all the distractions, challenges and things that pull your attention away from the present moment.
I get tested with this day in and day out for myself. On a day that I was so overwhelmed with all the things I needed to do and didn’t know where to start, and mindful that I was tired and hungry, I had a choice. I could make a quick peanut butter sandwich and have my lunch while I tackled the messages and admin that needed doing. Or I could whip up a nutritious stir-fry of vegetables and sardines, sit in the sun to and take a moment to have some space to focus on the delicious food I had made and the sunshine that was nourishing my health. Because the reality is, all those things on my to-do list can wait, and what matters most is the foundations of caring for self in order to be my best self. I am proud of myself for taking option B because my past self would have taken option A and I now know that is how I make my life difficult and wear myself out. Every time we choose to make the wise choice of listening to the body’s needs and the soul’s wise knowing we build our energetic battery to prevail in life with great mental and physical health.
I was rewarded with my wise choice on this day because the space gave me clarity about what my next step was and there was an instant nudge of upliftt from the nourishment of the sun and food.
As I etch my thoughts here, know that I am mindful of your beautiful wise soul and the power it has for showing you the way and I bless your path with that.
These are my thoughts for supporting you with your mindfulness to focus on how you do it, rather than what you do.
Power of presence, thought and attitude
Your thoughts and attitudes can have a bigger impact on your health than what you may think. Your ability to be present can support you with the mindfulness that allows for loving awareness to make its presence known to choose wise action.
Presence with food
Are you present with your food, enjoying your food, chewing well, and eating in a peaceful environment? Or are your thoughts and attitudes interfering with your ability to enjoy your food? If you are stressed or hurried while eating, you may not be producing the digestive enzymes you need. When you are not fully digesting your food, you are not receiving all the nutrition you could be getting from that meal. I see this a lot in my practice by the way. Nervous system dis-regulation and insufficient energy and focus for digestion over time contributes to nutritional deficiencies.
Presence with physical activity
Are you present with your body as you do your movement practice? If not you have a greater chance of injuring yourself. Mindful presence with your body can be a nourishing practice. Showing loving awareness and appreciation for your body builds a positive relationship with your body and the feedback it gives to keep you healthy and happy.
Presence with others
Are you present and deeply listening and making eye contact with your loved ones? Many people are missing feeling connected and feel isolated and lonely. What if we were all more present with each other and really heard and acknowledged what our loved ones were saying to us? And what if they recognised that gift of presence and reciprocated with their listening for us. How would that make us feel? It is also worth noting that how you say something or ask for something can make all the difference. A tone of voice can be attracting and inspiring or it can be inflammatory and deterring.
Feeling is feedback
If you can be mindful of how you are going about your daily activities, you can get some insight into your biochemistry and your needs. Molecules of body chemicals such as hormones have a certain energy frequency and effect on our mood and function. If there is a tone of too much stress and anxiety it can reflect too much cortisol (stress hormone) or not enough progesterone (calming) for example. Neurotransmitters are another form of biochemicals in the body. When there is too little serotonin for example, it can affect the sense of wellbeing and there can be deviations of mood - particularly flatness for females and aggressiveness for males. Irritability or apathy in your everyday activities can be a reflection of a number of different body chemicals out of balance.
I go into detail about these in my online course - Mental mastery. I give you a profile of symptoms so you can identify your deficiencies in brain chemistry and you can then utilise the support strategies to improve your brain function and mental health. For more tips on cultivating mindfulness and supporting your mental health, you can go to my soulful support subscription site and check out the Mental Mastery course. https://www.soulnurturing.com.au/member-homepage