COZY DAYS & NIGHTS: CREATE YOUR OWN NURTURING RITUALS

 ⎨Cozy days and nights: create your own nurturing rituals⎬

One of the best things I've ever done for myself, many years ago, was taking the time to experiment with my life to see what worked for me, and creating nurturing rituals for myself. I know from my own experience that this is key in order to keep myself balanced on all levels (emotional, mental, physical, spiritual), and thus, maintain my peace and happiness, and be able to live at my own pace.

These "nurturing rituals" are things that I do all the time, that make me feel good and happy. Things that lift me up, make my heart expand, put my mind at peace, relax my body, make me feel centered in my heart and in my awareness, bring me back to the present moment over and over again. Things that I feel clearly having a positive effect on me. This is easy to do if you tune into your heart and sense the presence of love and warmth inside, and feel a sense of profound and unshakeable peace that pervades all your mind and body.

You don't have to force yourself to do something that you see others doing on social or Pinterest: just experiment with what gives you JOY! It doesn't have to be what I do or someone else is doing, in order to make you happy and nurture you.

My Self Care Autumn Journaling printable deck is here.

These are some of the things I have experimented with for years, and now fully integrated into my life, in a natural, joyful way. They make me feel profoundly nurtured, and in fact, they have become part of my daily radical self-care practices.

1. I start my day well before anyone else is asleep. My mornings are sacred, and I have made the non-negotiable choice to start my days in quiet and doing something that allows me to create my own sunshine no matter what will happen during the day. I light my candle, and enjoy the peace in my heart and mind. I express my gratitude. I speak with myself, I speak with God. I acknowledge my blessings and my progress, I ask for guidance and for Grace, and for help to fulfill my Life Purpose. I then have my quiet solitary first breakfast, and then I take inspired action like, for example, writing this blog. Or I simply sit on my favorite armchair by the window and savor the Beauty and peace of Nature and the birdsongs.

2. I journal in the morning, in the evening, and during the day. Journaling for me is not something that I "do", it's simply a tool to get in contact with my inner being and recenter myself in my heart, my Truth, my Intentions. I keep a variety of journals, for different things, and where I journal in different ways (stream of consciousness, bullet points, intuitive collage, and so on). I may write for 5 minutes or for an hour, I just go with the flow with no self-imposed rules. I also take a lightweight journal with me when I go out, and if I'm in the mood or I need to journal, I sit down somewhere (preferably in Nature) and I start without overthinking.

3. I drive slowly, and always take the scenic route. I don't like feeling in a rush, I want to savor everything, and enjoy the scenery and my drive, no matter what I have to do. If I have an appointment at a certain hour, I leave plenty of time to be able to drive slowly and take the scenic route anyway. I want to have fun in my days and feel great, no matter what I have to do!! You know, slow living is a conscious choice, isn't something that just happens! You have to do the inner work for it to happen. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes for it to happen, if you're looking for a self-realized life on your own terms. If, while reading this, you're thinking that you don't have the time to drive slowly and take the scenic route, you definitely need to do some deep work on your beliefs around time and scarcity. What do you truly believe about time? That it flows inexorably? That no matter how hard you try, you don't have enough? What do you want to believe from now on? I also often use my various errands as Dates With Myself.

4. In the evening, I relax, don't watch tv or social media, and I go to bed early. My evenings are sacred, exactly like my mornings. I don't want to contaminate them with negativity of any kind, or with the opinions and truths of other people. I want to stay centered in my heart and in my own energy. I love savoring silence (no music, no radio, no tv, no podcasts etc) and real conversations with my people, lighting candles, reading inspirational books or my journals, collage, or browsing my secret boards on Pinterest where I collect images that speak to my heart. I also want to ensure that I can get up very early the next day and feel well rested, so I go to sleep early. I used to set an alarm as a reminder, but now since years ago, I've consolidated the habit and I don't need the reminder anymore. But if you struggle with this, experimenting to find the right bed time for you and setting an alarm can be a game changer!

5. I express my creativity all day long and in everything I do. I don't do anything in particular, I just express myself in all of my glory, without holding back! This may mean to forage some greenery or berries and make a centerpiece for the kitchen table (like in the above photos, if you want to see how I made this particular centerpiece, the post is here). Or to cook something new with no recipe, or putter around the house, or set the table in a lovely and creative way, and so on. They are not big things, but small creative things that make me feel expressed and alive!

Hope this inspired you, and see you soon in my next post!

Monica xoxo