Exercise - Rest And Relaxation - Healing Practices and Self-Nurturing Rituals Series

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Exercise

A great way to heal and self-nurture is to get plenty of exercise. Humans are made for movement and sitting around too much can lead to stagnancy. After long periods without exercise, you may find yourself feeling unmotivated, unenthused – and even physically unwell.

To engage in this healing and self-nurturing practice, you don’t need to be a world class athlete. Take a walk each day, do some yoga stretches, join a community sports league, or get outside with your kids for playtime every afternoon. As long as you are moving, you are benefiting from the healing and self-nurturing properties of exercise!

Rest And Relaxation

Perhaps you’ve heard this popular saying: “If you don’t choose a time to engage in rest and relaxation, your body will choose it for you.” This (somewhat ominous) phrase references the importance of giving yourself breaks to rest and relax.

People who don’t allow themselves time for rest and relaxation often develop a myriad of issues that force them to take a break – and often not an enjoyable one, especially if they’ve worked themselves to the point of complete exhaustion.

To avoid this, schedule time to rest and relax. Take this time seriously. If you are resting and relaxing, that should be the only focus on how you’re spending that time.

Consider the options below to make sure you’re resting and relaxing:

● Use your vacation days at work. Let yourself have some “mental health” days; schedule some regular time off work throughout the year for break time.

● Find a leisurely activity you enjoy and make time to engage in it regularly.

● Stop responding to emails, texts, and calls from work at a specific time each day.

● Establish a personal zone for resting and relaxing and make that space special and sacred. This could be your living room, your bedroom, your patio, or wherever you prefer to relax.