Compassionate self-care

In this fast-paced world, we need easy access to ways to nurture our inner selves.

by Sandy Jones — 

In this world, we are busy. We get up, get the kids off to school, get ready for work, drive through traffic, get to the office, step into the business world and work hard. At the end of the day, we come home, take care of everyone’s needs, make dinner and eventually collapse in an exhausted heap. Does this sound like your experience?

So, when do you take care of the inner you? When do you allot the time and space to nurture the divine essence of your inner self? What does that look like? And more to the point, with this extremely busy schedule, when can you possibly fit that in?

In this fast-paced world, we need easy access to ways to nurture our inner selves. It is not like we can step out of that business meeting into a retreat. Or can we?

Imagine creating a list that you might call your Compassionate Self Care Recipe. On this list are many ways that you can easily care for your inner self. Start by asking yourself what nurtures your inner soul. Perhaps your list may look something like this:

• Taking a walk in silence during your lunch break
• Breathing deeply and consciously, bringing in peace while walking between business meetings
• Pausing just for a moment to express gratitude for your life
• Taking a moment to think loving thoughts about your self
• Taking a moment to think loving thoughts about those around you
• Listening to the birds while out walking the dog
• Smiling for no reason
• Imagining the love in your heart radiating out into the world
• Praying or meditating

Create a list that works for you, that you can draw upon anytime, anywhere, in any given moment to allow yourself some time to compassionately care for the inner you. You are without question the most important person in your world, and creating a loving interior and tending to this space with compassion will allow you to see the world in the same way. As within, so without.

Sandy Jones is an ordained interfaith minister who worked as a designer, teacher, software specialist and entrepreneur in the tech industry for 25 years. She recently created Soul Motivations, a ministry devoted to helping people remember. soulmotivations@cox.net,  www.soulmotivations.com or 480-491-2464. 

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 25, Number 4, August/September 2006.