Nurture. Nature. Sit. Sleep.
Hello my friend,
As I sit here writing this newsletter, having just got off the phone with my brother, I am reminded of how I have been so supported throughout my life by my family and friends and how much impact this has had on the way in which I view the world, my situations, perceptions, and thus my confidence to overcome adversity and on some of the choices I have made. When you have some really solid friendships and people you can count on, that will be completely honest with you, listen to your ramblings or simply hold you when you need a good cry, life feels a little easier, you have a little more courage to take things on, to work on your relationships, to try new things! For me at least, this has been my experience for which I am very grateful.
We have all had a different up-bringing, live in different countries, different cultures, but regardless, we all have the ability to put effort into and nurture our relationships, or not. They take effort, patience, requiring us to step aside from our opinions or being 'right' to really open ourselves to understanding and compassion for others. We also need to discern when we are being taken advantage of or when things are one sided and when it's time to call it a day. Sometimes, people come into our lives to show us where we need to look a little deeper into ourselves, to see patterns, habits, things that we keep resisting or turning away from. Change that can only come from within through reflection, not how others see or treat us. How we see ourselves, without labels, blame, anger or resentment.
Our modern lives are filled with so much external stimulus. We busy ourselves constantly, scroll on the phone, listen to music, that there is very little space and time to reflect on how we are showing up in the world, in our relationships. We need to prioritise the time for it otherwise we end up stumbling around, deflecting, or numbing ourselves from our emotions and the reactions that are being felt in our bodies through the nervous system, that perhaps we don't have words for. Poor sleeping habits have also made this worse.
In order to improve the quality of your life, you don't need to do anything drastic (well maybe for some) but there really are a few very simple things you can do to take care which will make more impact than you think, it certainly has in my own life!
NURTURE. NATURE. SIT. SLEEP.
NURTURE your body by moving everyday, eating good healthy food, staying hydrated. NURTURE your close relationships. Practice selfless listening, have the difficult conversations.
Spend time outside, in NATURE, barefoot, get sun on your skin, breathe in the fresh air more often. Put your phone away when you do this, look at the plants, the birds.
Take time to SIT quietly with yourself everyday. A meditation practice is your daily commitment to nourish your inner-self and improve self-awareness. Reflect or journal.
SLEEP well, and for long enough. Make a concerted effort to get this right and everything else becomes much easier.
Also, try not be an asshole, everyone is dealing with their own stuff, don't take everything personally, kindness goes a long way. ;-))
I hope that this resonated with you and you can take on these simple tasks by prioritising them for your health and wellbeing. You cannot pour from an empty cup!
Thank you for reading (AI not involved at all, written by a human/me), go hug a tree, call that friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while...
xxx Kirst
Here are some articles to explore further on the 4 points:
Nurture: Nurture Your Relationships | Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing
Nature: 10 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature |
Sit: How Self-Reflection Benefits Your Mental Health
Sleep: Why Is Sleep Important? Benefits of Healthy Sleep
BOOK RECCOMENDATION: Matt Walker (A fascinating and enlightening book everyone should read!)
