I purposefully split this blog into 2 posts as it’s all too easy to recognise that we need to make ourselves a priority and in the next minute move on and forget our good intentions.
If you missed the first 7 ways to love your body and love yourself click here
Next on the love-list is…
8. Shake it off!
When the body is seeking to rid itself of excess tension, anxiety or just energy it naturally shakes.
Think about it when you are getting ready for a job interview, or have just had an argument with someone or are about to make a speak we shake. In our modern culture we have incorrectly associated this shaking as a sign of weakness and anxiety, that showing any physical expression of emotional energy makes us vulnerable but in fact it’s one of the healthiest things that you can do.
In fact there are a number of therapy streams that utilise shaking to support people in letting go of unwanted tension and opening up to greater levels of happiness. TRE,
Bioenergetic Yoga, and somatic therapy are practices that actively engage the bodys natural tremoring ability to bring about greater levels of peace, happiness and creativity. Stay tuned for more on TRE as I will be incorporating it into my professional practice later in 2017.
A simple way to tap into this process is to stand hips width apart and jiggling up and down like you are sitting on a bus. As with any exercise the aim is for it to be comfortable and enjoyable so periods of stopping, resting and feeling the tingling buzz are highly recommended. Start with 1-2 minutes a day and build from that.
9. Schedule non-negotiable time out for self care on a regular basis
Whatever your thing is yoga, massage, meditation, camping, cycling or crafting do it. If your life is anything like mine it’s full to the brim with to do lists, chores, family responsibilities and work. It is so easy to put yourself at the bottom of the to do list until you find yourself totally out of balance (that’s when people usually come to see me).
Our bodies are the most honest parts of ourselves. When we don’t show up for ourselves our bodies will let us know, sometimes in small ways and other times it’s more like a thunderclap (yep I have had my fair share of those too!).
The other important aspect of self care is the psychological message that we send to ourselves.
Let me ask you this, do you treat yourself like you are of equal importance to others or do you treat yourself a though you are the least important?
If you are someone who struggles with self esteem, self confidence or self love then listen up!
Actions speak louder than words, especially when we are communicating with ourselves so start showing up for yourself and notice how your relationship with yourself shifts. It is all in the doing so take action right now, even before you finish reading this post!
Decide and commit to doing something just for you and do it now!
(…. and remember to come back!)
10.Connect with your senses
In any given moment our senses are supporting us to interpret our experience. Our senses then are a gateway of communication between our inner experience and our outer world.
Nurturing ourselves through our smell, touch, sight, sound and taste are wonderful ways to soothe the body and therefore the mind. Many of these practices integrate the activation of the vagus nerve which engages our rest, restore and reconnect functions of the body.
Such exercises include: humming, whistling, dancing, aromatherapy, cold face baths or for the extra brave cold showers, deliberately taking in the sights and sounds of nature and mindful eating.
11. Practice conscious choice
It is easy to get swept away in other peoples needs, expectations or just the general current of life. Yet practicing conscious choosing allows us to deliberately connect to our values and communicate to the world and more importantly ourselves that our needs count.
My litmus test for any choice is does this support, uplift or inspire me?
Whilst it is unrealistic to apply this to every aspect of our lives it is however useful when it comes to several personal choices.
Choosing music that uplifts, reading books that feed the mind, limiting violence in television programs and surrounding yourself with people who lift your spirits are all choices that can reinforce a healthy duty of care of yourself.
Plant yourself where you will grow.
12. Be patient
Learning to love yourself is like learning any new skill. It takes time. Just as with any relationship it evolves over time and with every new experience.
Particularly if you have spent a lifetime, judging, criticizing or doubting yourself it’s going to take repetitive practice to build new neural pathways and patterns of self-support, self-acknowledgement and having your own back.
Start slow and start now……start loving your body and loving yourself
13. Change
I personally believe that our comfort zone is not a stagnant space. It either expands or contracts. Period. The world is an ever-expanding and ever changing place. We can either roll with it and continue to grow or we can keep ourselves safe, play small and watch the world go by.
Change is one of those fickle things, once we have changed an aspect of ourselves the next thing pops up and the previous accomplishment is all but forgotten. We can see this as a never ending challenge or an eternal and natural process of evolution. If you are restricting change then this in itself is fertile ground for exploration.
If there is an ongoing issue that you know you need to deal with then get in, get it sorted and get moving to the next level.
Learning to embrace change opens up new possibilities and deepens your own sense of self-trust, self-reliance and self-esteem.
14. Take yourself out on a date
Years ago I decided that if I didn’t want to date myself who else would! So I decided to give myself all of the experiences that I
would naturally create for a future partner and made sure that it included the experiences that I wanted to receive. After all relationships are really giving and receiving in action!
So with the intention of dating myself I bought myself flowers, took myself out for meals, wrote lovely letters to myself, took myself out on day trips and generally sought ways to make myself feel valued and cared for. This is the bit that can feel a bit awkward to begin with… again we are taught not to be egotistical and self centred so the cringe factor creeps in.
Yet being self-full is very different to being selfish.
When we are self-full we are better able to care for others, our inner sense of self becomes more grounded, we feel happier and easier to be around, we make better decisions and we become more creative. All of these outcomes have beneficial implications for those around us so ultimately if you are not valuing yourself that can be considered selfish!
So take your gorgeous self out, shower him or her with the love that you deserve and do it often enough that you get good at it.
Wishing you a wonderful Valentines Day
with the most beautiful person in your
life….YOU!
With love and nurturing
Emiline
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Whether you are wanting to find greater ease in life, let go of the past or connect more authentically with self love and could use some guidance call me for a free 15 minute consultation. Realizing your goals with greater ease than ever before is often simpler than we think. So give me a call on 0419 101 665 or send me at email emiline@thenurturefoundation.com