What is Soul Care?
Soul care is the process of learning how to connect with yourself on a deeper level by giving attention to the whole self—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Nowadays, people associate soul care with “self-care” days, where you dedicate time or certain activities exclusively to yourself. Soul care can include practices like journaling, workouts, facemasks, yoga, walks on the beach, and more. Anything that fulfills your mind, body, and soul can be defined as soul care. Check out this Mind, Body, and Soul Guide to learn how to take care of your soul and discover practices that resonate with you.
Why are Self-Care Practices so Important in Today’s Fast-Paced World?
In short, life itself is incredibly stressful, and we all need time to disconnect to reconnect with the world. In the long run, prioritizing self-care enhances our resilience to the outside world, helps us maintain a healthier life balance, and allows us to navigate the demands of a fast-paced society with greater ease and well-being.
How to Take Care of Your Soul, Properly.
As mentioned, there are numerous self-care practices for those seeking a deeper connection with their inner selves. At this point, the self-care market has become a vast $450 billion industry. It’s essential to navigate through the plethora of options and discern what truly works best for you. The responsibility lies with you to sift through all the information and find practices that genuinely resonate with your needs.
What Soul Care Means to Me.
Personally, it took me years to determine which soul care practices resonated most with me and made my body, mind, and soul feel lighter. After exploring various mediums of soul care, I am delighted to share the practices that have made a significant difference for me.
My Version of Soul Care.
Please know that everything that I will list below are the things that I know that have worked for me. I promise to always be honest and not just sell you on some health and wellness crap, ever.
Physical Well-being:
As a Pilates and Strengthening instructor offering classes online, in person, privately, and at events (check out most offerings on BodyByBina.com), physical exercise holds immense importance for me. During the pandemic, I discovered that movement equaled healing for me. Continuously moving my body not only maintained my physical health but also positively impacted my mental well-being. This realization gave me energy, kept me going, and helped determine what matters most in life.
Now, I am aware that not everyone finds comfort in movement, and that’s completely understandable. You don’t need a bougie gym or an expensive gym membership to move your body. Some of my most effective workouts have been a 20-minute walk with my dog or just doing a few pushups and jumping jacks every hour. You don’t need much to start feeling the positive effects of movement, so do whatever feels right!
Emotional Well-being:
This aspect took time for me to understand as I delved into holistic self-care. Emotional well-being is challenging but essential for those who want to connect with their inner selves on a deeper level. It involves learning and listening to your thoughts, observing your relationships, and practicing several soul care exercises for emotional well-being.
Gratitude Practice:
Every morning, I wake up and appreciate the sun, reminding myself of the privilege of waking up on this planet. Starting the day with gratitude impacts every emotion throughout the day. Check out this study by Harvard Health Publishing discussing the effects of a gratitude practice.
Meditation Practice:
Sitting in peace with my thoughts through meditation has been transformative.
Meditation requires consistent practice to reap its benefits. It becomes more
accessible with time, proving most effective during challenging moments.
Personally, I use meditation for self-control, providing my mind space for clarity.
Relationships:
Certain people bring out specific energies in us. Focus on those who make you feel magical. If you have to force it, take a step back. Surround yourself with supportive and positive individuals who nurture meaningful connections, providing emotional support and understanding.
Sometimes, you can’t immediately exit a relationship, but you can set boundaries. Life is built on relationships, so focus on those that remind you how to take care of your soul.
Spiritual Well-being:
A fundamental aspect of holistic health, which sets up a sense of connection, purpose, and harmony in life. Most would say that this is the aspect where people find their meaning and fulfillment in life. To me, it’s knowing that I am here for a reason. How do I remind myself of this?
- Reading books about countries/concepts/people/issues that I don’t understand in order to expand my knowledge of the world around me.
- Travel.
- Giving back to people that need it most. This doesn’t have to be charity, this could just be a conversation with a friend who needs your time.
- Putting myself first. This one is probably the most controversial because how embarrassing is it to do whatever you truly want in this society? Well, as I tell all my clients, you can’t give to others without giving to yourself first. Therefore, by giving yourself the energy & time, you will be able to do so much more for the others that are dependent on you!
And yeah, that’s really truly it. No BS, no mumbo jumbo. I can’t promise you that this work is easy, but I can promise you it’s worth it. SO worth it! Like I said before, if this is all still new to you, really just take the time and enjoy this process. Learn how to take care of your soul in a way that works for you, not because some influencer told you so. If you’re ever needing support, reach out!
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