Post 11 in the '30 day blogging challenge' Nurturing and Caring for ourselves....

I read an article recently about 'How people living in current times are more financially affluent than either of their parents, yet, they are often miserable, stressed, overworked and tired.
I've decided in this blog to write about some practises, rituals and activities, that we can regularly do that may help destress, care and nurture ourselves. Creating a 'balance' is what we're aiming for..
A few years ago when I was in deep process after my marriage collapsed, I decided to study 'Life Coaching'. I think it was more to help myself at the time than any grand burning desire as a future career path. Some of the processes really surprised me. One question was around 'What things do I love to do and What things are fun to do?' I realised I really didn't know how to have fun or what I even loved! ( Apart from my family and a few other things which all centred around 'Doing' and largely for others!)
So, here's what I'm going to ask you to do. Take a sheet of paper and write a list of all the things that you like & love to do. Include things that are fun, big and small. The weird thing about this, is we often think we can never do the things we love, when we start to ponder, due to financial and time restrictions. Yet, often things we love, are simple, easy and free or at least quite affordable. It's a bit like my post on "What makes you feel rich?...." Sometimes it's the simple things that feed our souls.....

Here are some examples I received when I asked my friends about "What they do to nurture & Care for themselves?"
Having special 'ME' time to exercise, eat healthily, go to a movie, soak in a bath, buy a book,buy inexpensive art materials, indulge myself in some way, be gentle with myself, give myself a day off, write in my journal, walk along a beach, walk in nature,slowly cook a dish that requires a lot of attention & love, sing, read recipe books, have a massage, lay in the sun, swim in the ocean, meditate, listen to uplifting music, listen to inspiring CD's, play a musical instrument, play with my children, play with my pets, watch a sunset or sunrise, write a letter to a friend, attend a class in art, finally take up a long dreamed of hobby,eat out in a restaurant, share a cofee with a friend, have a sleep in the daytime.
As you might have noticed, most of these activities are inexpensive or free!


Now you can use some of these examples to get you started. Choose some of them and add your own personal touches. Once I really got started, I couldn't believe how many things I loved and how much fun it was coming up with new things and scheduling them in to my diary.
Doing this process is like we make a statement that we are important!! And we have to do them because they are on our list!!
You might like to get yourself a special exercise book for these ideas. Cover it with beautiful paper and write your name on it with love. Draw on it if you like or put a favourite photo on the front.


So write this list & then get out your diary and schedule one of these things in for each day of the next week. When you do it , tick it off and pat yourself on the back...... Well done........
Perhaps you will enjoy this so much, you will start to include these things as a regular part of your day and life. you might even feel like something is missing when you don't include them. For me it's been a building process and I have noticed that I can often include three to four in a day. Now that's when I feel really good. It's self maintenance and makes my life a lot richer.....When I nurture and care for myself, it also makes me feel more grateful for my life and the abundance that is everywhere around me.
I hope that you can imagine many examples of fun, nurturing things to include in your day. Good luck!!!

Blessings
Isabella