Do you draw?
Do you paint?
Do you craft, scrapbook, garden, sing, play an instrument?
Do you dance, do you write or do you cook, bake or pickle veggies?
Do you coach a team or meditate?
What moves you? What heals and restores you ?
Is it something you share or something only for you? Or are you one of those fortunate ones that gets to do it AND be paid for it?
Is it something that gets left behind now that you are an adult and have to be grown up?
It’s hard to find time to give to yourself. Kids, work, study and life in general gets in the way and the opportunities to fulfil that personal need feel like they are better devoted to other ‘more important’ tasks. However, the peace, satisfaction and restorative value of doing something creative or nurturing cannot be over-exaggerated.
May 21, 2013 at 11:59 am
Finding time to invest in the self is often ridden with floods of emotion. One i suffer from is guilt. Idiotic i know and completely unnecessary…. to love the self and restore its energy source is vital for the productive life and the output and giving to others…
making art is something that makes my soul sing with happiness and satisfaction, but it is often also my work, so sometimes the joy dances with pressure and criticism. Art with no boundaries or that childlike freedom I search for in the quiet moments…. usually when i should be recharging my energies with sleep. Inspiration comes at strange times. 3 am too often.
Dancing as a sport for many years gave me such happiness and satisfaction. Now i only find time to really let loose when my feet are stomping the dirt ridden planes of western districts in the heat and sweat of music and lifestyle festivals like Rainbow Serpent…. the wait is worth it. There is nothing quite like dancing like there is no one watching whilst the beat inherently tickles its way up through the ground into the the base of your bare feet.
Singing in my car is a bliss i save for myself. The longing for a long distance road trip and the clearing of old air in my lungs is strong and i long for it too often. The open road too brings a solace and meditative trance as the white lines beat past your eyes one after the other.
I would love to say i meditate…. i do try… though i am a restless creature and find this difficult… but i will endeavour to continue my practice as much and as often as i can… although it is difficult to make myself sit for 20 mins at least a day to just stop and think… i do feel good after though. i see its benefits and wish i was more disciplined.
Loving myself and giving time to love myself is something i am working on daily. It is imperative i feel to keeping the mind, body and spirit in some sort of balance and order…
I keep reminding myself, happiness is not a destination but the road we are walking… So everyday i just try and say at least once….. i love me and i am happy.
(Grammar Nazi Warning: Sorry if my quick and reckless typing has induced any Sheldon Cooper moments whilst reading…..) x x x x
LikeLike