This New Year, as you are reviewing your health and nutrition goals, I invite you to examine, energize and prioritize your spiritual nourishment. Without spiritual nourishment, no matter how healthy you eat and how much you exercise, you may still be left feeling unhappy, unfulfilled and lacking true health.
What is spiritual nourishment? It looks different for everyone – taking time to walk in nature, spending time with pets, or even washing the dishes with mindfulness, can all be acts that feed your spirit.
Spiritual nourishment can be as simple as carving out ten to fifteen minutes of silent time in the mornings or listening to relaxing music rather than the news. It can also be a more formal type of meditation practice based on what you’re drawn to or what your religious faith is.
In today’s society, we are bombarded with stimulation everywhere we go. Our senses become overloaded and this, along with a lack of spiritual nourishment can lead to anxiety, stress, low energy, depression, burnout and unhealthy weight gain or weight loss. Shut off the TV, get off the computer, put the phone away and take a social media fast. These are all ways to help quiet the noise, connect internally and nourish your spirit.
Creative or artistic outlets are also forms of spiritual nourishment. For some, it may be painting, journaling, or writing. Movement such as dance, yoga, martial arts, or a combination of these activities is also wonderful. You will notice that the more regularly you carve out time for such activities in daily life, the more you create a greater sense of calm, satisfaction and less of a need to fill yourself up with food for comfort or entertainment. Your physical and emotional health will benefit and you will begin to experience true health, well-being and fulfillment.
I invite you to begin the year by prioritizing your spiritual nourishment and see what happens. Here are a couple of simple questions to help you begin:
What feeds you spiritually? (ie: journaling, walking in nature, listening to music, drawing, meditation?)
- Have you devoted part of your day or week to spiritual nourishment? What are two simple action steps you can take to include spiritual nourishment in your life?
Wishing you a happy, healthy and energizing 2019!
*We’d love to hear from you! CONTACT US to discuss your health and wellness goals.
(Content adapted from Molly’s book, Energizing Nutrition: A New Food Paradigm)