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nurturing yourself back to you

We need to recalibrate, so we look inward. The outward noise is so loud that it can cloud everything. The process of listening to yourself is one that takes time. You have to learn yourself and trust that you know what’s best. You have to look deeply to purge the things that distract you. The three main areas we’ll focus on today are mental, physical, and spiritual ways to nurture, replenish, and come back to ourselves.

Mentally:

1. Screen time/ Social media: It’s rotting your brain but you already know that. We’re always overwhelmed because our phones are psychologically wired to keep us checking and looking for something new. Try to limit your screen time gradually. Get to the point where you’re able to set a limit on your phone and once that block screen comes telling you you’ve been on instagram for over 2 hours today, go find something else to do. Go walk, call a friend, go be bored. Many great ideas and artists are lost because we are never bored anymore. A brain that constantly consumes cannot create.

2. Read: Any and everything. Diversify your reading. Get different perspectives. Don’t be a bubble reader. Its okay to like a certain genre or writing format better than others, but if you only read a specific type of book you never know the things hidden in other worlds of literature. You can expand your worldview and vocabulary with one book. Having a new point of view to experience can help you contextualize your own world. Being able to escape into the literary worlds can be a refuge.

3. Low stimulation Music: Think spa music, anything with minimal or blended vocals, any of the color noises (ex: brown noise, white noise, green noise), or subliminal audios. These types of music help recalibrate and ease your nervous system/ mind. Being able to listen to these types of healing instruments like the hand pan or the native triple flute allows you to take a break from mainstream pop, rap, alternative music. While fun and upbeat, these types of music are not meant to help relax as they are made for mass consumption with the intention to entertain.

   

   Cosmic Timetraveller via Unsplash

Physically:

1. Shower/Bath: Water and heat helps loosen tension and wash the worries of the day away. Nice salt scrubs, washes, and other scents can help relax and rewind. Visualize the water as healing or cleansing. Breathe in the steam with a couple intestinal deep breaths. Take care of yourself and your being as you would your own child.

2. Stretching: Tension manifests greatly as physical muscle pain. I try to carve out 10 mins a day to focus solely on my body and what it needs. Breathing through the stretches and releasing tension while aiding physical wellness. Show up for yourself in the ways your boy can recognize.

3. Adorn Yourself: I am a firm believer in the look good feel good method. On the days I feel the worst, putting together a nice outfit, doing a new hairstyle, or makeup routine helps me feel better. Presenting myself in the best possible way makes me feel confident to pursue my day.

4. REST: Actually rest, find a day that you can go to sleep an hour earlier. You’ll notice a huge difference. Relax, watch a movie (without your phone) and truly enjoy the time spent doing minimal. After work avoid the doomscroll trap, find something you can look forward to like tea and a good read, or a how bath with a nice new bath soap. Make rest intentional and unnegotiable. You do not need to be on or ‘productive’ every day.

Spiritually:

1. Meditate: Take time for stillness. At first it will feel silly if you haven’t practiced much but once you get used to it, you’ll be able to sit on your own. Start with 5 mins and increase weekly. You’ll get to the point where you look forward to your inward time. The practice of meditation allows you to come back to center without the need of external tools or vices.

2. Devote: Find something to devote yourself to. This could be a hobby, a spiritual practice, a sport, anything. As long as it brings you joy and fulfills you, you can devote yourself to it. Right now, I am devoting myself to my writing and using my energy to influence the quality and consistency of this particular craft. Devote yourself, it is energy well spent.

3. Journal: Write. You’re on substack so you either write a lot or read a lot of writing and a personal journal can help you feel magnitudes better. Knowing you can write whatever you want and it’s only for you. Write love letters to yourself, write your rage, your shortcomings, you’re accomplishments, anything. After you’re done you can save it to look back on you can burn it and it’ll never be seen. Pour yourself out on the pages to clear space for the new.

These are just the basics, but intentional choices allows us to have that much more control over our lives. Choosing instead of being influenced with the illusion of choice. The little moments add up, and when you supercharge those moments with pure intention it can transform your perspective.