Refilling Our Cup
I'm a big believer in noticing everyday 'signs' as symbols of guidance from the Universe - and when I notice something repetitively - it's like an extra nudge to take notice; there's an important lesson to be learned.
So over a cuppa date with a friend recently, I spilled the beans to her; explaining how I'd been spilling water from my drinking cup, over and over recently - even onto people! Was I just rushing too much?
Then, my friend responded with her simple, innocent wisdom: "You don't realise when your cup is empty?"
Agh. There it was. The truth is, many times in my life I had failed to notice when 'my cup' (meaning my sense of wellbeing) felt dangerously low. But I have to say, this year something I'm actively working to change: I'm making my needs a priority - not just when I can fit it in, but every day in my life choices.
For me, this has meant a number of subtle shifts, mostly around establishing healthy boundaries through self-care. Self-care reminds us that we matter and that our needs are important.
Personally, a number of mini self-care rituals fill my cup on a regular basis and nurture my wellbeing. Here are my favourites:
DAILY:
In the first hour of waking, I set my Insight Timer for a 10 minute morning meditation and put on some incense. This reminds me to just 'Be' with my senses and engage with the present moment, instead of 'Doing' all the time. The incense also acts as a trigger to get into my presence space.
Every night before falling asleep, I think of 10 things I'm grateful for from the day. This helps train my mind to look for the good things in life. I'm also reminded that even on a shitty day, there were things that lit me up.
WEEKLY:
I undertake a 2 hour Art-making session, at least twice a week. Art-making for me feels both therapeutic and insightful.
On Saturday mornings, I gift myself a yoga class to nourish my body.
Once a week, I organise a cafe + cuppa outing with a someone I love - and sometimes myself. As a Mama, this is my luxury time.
Whenever I feel like it, I replace my morning meditation with a mindful drawing exercise. Here, I find joy both through the present moment and doing what I love - making Art.
MONTHLY:
I book in for a massage and make a point of mindfully enjoying it. No explanation necessary.
YEARLY:
I pick a word of the year. This helps me set an intention for the way I want to live my life in the months ahead.
I buy myself something special that I've wanted for months. Just because I deserve it.
I attend a yoga retreat and get my self-care ONNNN! I always feel good when I nurture my body.
Mama Nurture Oracle Cards - Available HERE
Your self-care rituals will likely look much different to mine. We intuitively know what a good cup-filling exercise is for us, because it feels like a joyous relief every time we engage in it.
These are the things we need to practice more of; rituals that fill us up from the inside out. When we feel filled from within, we can give to others with more gratitude. With frequency, self-care begins to sink in and become a habit. It also helps rewire our brains to enable more self-love to unfold.
Do you need a bit of help tuning into your self-care? You might enjoy the Insight Timer app or one of my online or in-person creative workshops HERE. They're filled with the tools I personally use to get present with myself.
All my Love,
Chrissy