Is your well overflowing?

If you were to dip a bucket deep inside the well of yourself what would you find? An overflowing bucket…

Most people would probably admit they are not flowing over in the way they might desire. To be thriving, to be flowing over with energy, ideas, wisdom and joy…is that even possible in the world we live in today?

To overflow would require self-care. (Insert dramatic musical moment here!) When you hear that, what do you think?

Does self-care seem extravagant and out of reach? What else comes up for you? Self-judgement, procrastination, excuses?

When presented with the idea of self-care did you see an image of a person in a luxurious bubble bath at some exotic place? When even presented with the idea of taking care of yourself you might feel, like many people, that it is impossible. How can you take time for THAT when you have a seemingly endless to-do list including adult responsibilities and obligations to others? And are you even worthy of your own care? It might be hard to even imagine what that would even look like?

It can be hard to face, but it’s true. Currently, we are a society of exhausted and undernourished souls struggling to do our best in the world. Deep sigh…

I invite you to let go of those stories. Take a breath.  Come with me for a moment to step into a new way of thinking and being with yourself. It’s radical, but I’m here as your friendly guide. 

What if the solution were much more simple than you expected? What if self-care were about more than a bubble bath and was a real solution, a win for your own life and the lives of the people that matter to you? 

What if you filled your tank first? Not as a nice idea. As a reality.

Never give from the depths of your well, but from the overflow.

~Rumi~

Yoga is a path of self-care, but more so a practice of self-connection. One of the definitions of yoga is “to unite.” An aspect of this is the re-weaving of the many layers that make up YOU―your body, mind, breath and energy.

The practice of yoga has the potential to guide you toward more wholebeing (wellness of the whole person.) You become more aware and dive into the deeper aspects of yourself to find your deepest wells of wisdom and joy.  

In my 15 years of practice, I’ve come to experience self-care as wholebeing practices that care for and connect me to every level of my being. I notice that when I’m more connected to my whole self and moving through my day with awareness, I experience a more fulfilling day. Something as simple as walking to work (or a lunchtime stroll) can take on a whole new meaning and be a beautiful experience.

In preparing for this writing, I asked a few friends and colleagues what their relationship was to the definition and practice of self-care. While the bath was mentioned by a few (we can’t throw out the original poster-child of the movement!) a lot of other great things were mentioned that I want to share with you for your consideration and inspiration in starting your self-care exploration. Yoga fits beautifully into every category as a practice that addresses our needs on many levels (more on this later!)

Body: healthy diet, exercise, time for rejuvenation/restoration, staying hydrated, yoga

Energy: making and honoring boundaries around how much energy you’re expending, yoga, spending time with quality friends and loved ones

Mind: kindness and compassion towards yourself, yoga, quiet time, feeding your creativity

Here are some action steps to support you in developing a relationship with self-care:

• • COMMIT. Sit down with your weekly calendar and plug in your time for yourself FIRST (This is not selfish, I give you permission to pur your self first! ) Do it. Remember, if your tank isn’t full there is nothing to share with others. Getting sick from doing too much is not the way to show your family you love them. Your commitment to your self-care time has an immeasurable return on your time investment!
    
  • SHARE. Tell your close friends and family what your intentions are in regards to self-care. If you’re not quite ready to do this with those close to you, practice vulnerability by emailing me at meg@prasadawholebeing.com and telling me what your self-care practices will be and where they fit into your calendar. I promise to reply with a note of encouragement!
  • SUPPORT! Ask a few people you trust to support you in your new routine. Be honest about the reason for your new practices and let them know a few ways they can best support you in incorporating these into your life. Be specific about what you’d like for them to do. Also, make sure your environment around you can help support your efforts. The night before the day of your yoga class, put your yoga clothes in your bag to bring to work so it will be ready to go in the morning.

Remember it’s one step at a time. Bit by bit with new habits you can replenish your well. Bit by bit you can build new and lasting wholebeing practices of self-care.

Be Bright,
Meg Townsend