Your soul is the power and core of who you are. Feed it well.
~Anonymous
I love it when I find a quote that resonates with me. I’m nerdy this way, but quotes inspire me. Even if it is only a few short words or a long soliloquy. Perhaps, it is because words are powerful and they can bring us comfort, among other things. I guess that is why I love music so much too. In any given song, in any given verse, it is relatable – and motivating.
So, when I came across the quote above, it spoke to me. Pure and simple. “Your soul is the power and core of who you are. Feed it well.” Wow! I could relate to those words, and this thought, and it got me thinking about how I feed mine.
What steps do I take to feed my soul?
How do I nurture it?
Why do I care for it?
Then, I thought about how feeding my soul has changed over the years; which I suspect may be relative to where my mindset was during any given point in my life. In this respect, I continually find new ways to nurture my soul – to protect it, to embrace it, to share it. It is a part of me, after all.
I have closed chapters in my life and started new ones. In doing so, priorities and goals change. With the evolution of each day, ambitions can change, your perception can change, and YOU can change.
When my husband received a cancer diagnosis several years ago, it shook up our world. It could have destroyed it had we let it. However, in those moments of not knowing and feeling like life was a massive twister, we shifted. Indeed the universe was sending a significant interruption to normal, and we made the best of it. During this time, it was vital for me to take care of my husband and to do whatever we needed to do to preserve some normalcy. It meant paying more attention to us (and making us the priority) and not forgetting to take care of me too; which, for anyone who has been in a similar situation, knows how critical this can be. My point is that during this time why, how, and what I fed my soul was different than it was in my teens or early 20’s.
There was also a period in my life when I was in such a deep, dark space that I chartered off course. There were compounding factors that contributed to this, and I understand those dots better now. I saw and felt ugly every time I looked in the mirror, and I knew that something was missing but identifying it was the problem. My soul was suffering because I wasn’t sure how to take care of it, and it bled out into many areas of my life. Honestly, I didn’t think I was worth the return on investment even when others believed in me. It wasn’t like I didn’t have a loving and caring support system because I did. However, as I said, I was in a tough place.
I’ve made peace with those days, however. Now, when I reflect, I realize the significant impact not feeding my soul had on me – and those around me.
Fast forward to now, and life continues to shift. I’m in a healthy, happier, and more aware space. I am the same but different. A couple of years ago, I embarked on a new chapter in life. It was scary (at the time) but exciting, and each day, I continue to open my eyes, my mind, and my heart in ways I couldn’t before. It’s been constant change – for both my husband and me. However, with all these changes came a new appreciation for feeding one’s soul, and I continue to learn how rewarding it is to find what makes your soul breathe.
My biggest revelation came after my mom passed away. I had never felt such a profound loss, and it crushed my heart and soul. However, something inside kept nudging me, and I realized it was my heart and soul coming back to life. It pointed me in a direction and opened up a part of me that continues to bring me joy and feed my soul.
If you had asked me ten years ago the why, what, and how I probably couldn’t have answered you. However, now, I can.
I feed my soul because I can.
I feed my soul because I want to and need to. It is a part of me, and I am a part of it.
I feed my soul with my husband and canine child, love, family, friends, writing, exercise, nature, laughter, meditation, music, work, and moments. Lots and lots of moments.
I didn’t realize that much of my soul-nurturing was in front of me and inside of me. However, when I was finally able to open my eyes, I just knew. So, I share this with you. If it is already in front of you, then grab hold of it and give it 100%. If you love to dance, then do it. Who cares if someone sees you! Maybe they will join in. If not, it’s okay. Make it YOUR dance- exhilaration is good for the soul. If you like to sing, then sing.
I hope that you embrace whatever it is that makes your heart and soul happy. Run with it, share with it, and feed it daily. Please don’t wait for tomorrow because it is the power and core of who you are- and you are worth the investment.
This is beautiful Laura. I feed my soul with prayer and expressing love through kindness which in turn makes my soul sing and I am happy. For me God lives within me. He is my source and best resource.
Thank you for sharing ???
Thank you so much, Donna-Luisa. I appreciate you sharing how you feed your soul, and it is a beautiful way to do so. We need more love and kindness in our world, and I know with you out there spreading it, you will make a difference.
Thank you for this invitation to feed our hearts and souls, Laura. I’m grateful that through your journey with challenges and the loss of your mom, you continued to find your way back to your heart and soul. What important nourishment this is! I practice gratitude, run around a lake nestled in the mountains most every morning, meditate-lately engaging a lovingkindness meditation, which I’m quite profound, writing, reaching out to beloved ones, making some new friends, reading inspiring articles (Yours!) and books, listening to beautiful music, letting others know how much I love them-just a few of the actions i take most days to nourish my heart and soul. Can I say how happy I am that many of us have shifted away from the limiting belief that caring for ourselves was selfish because in my experience, these expressions of self-love/loving others continue to be essential. I appreciate you and your beautiful writing very much.
Laura, your comments always leave me smiling. Thank you for sharing the sunlight inside you with others. It makes a difference. I must admit that from time to time, I still lose my way, and even though it can be discouraging when that happens, I usually find that there’s a silver lining waiting at the end.
I also am glad that many have shifted away from the limiting belief that caring for themselves was selfish. It isn’t, and no one should ever make us feel that it is such. However, I admit that from time to time, I do feel guilty for taking me time when there are a million other things I should be doing. I don’t know where it comes from other than that innate drive to always be doing something.
Thank you for sharing with me the ways that you feed your soul – I love them! That nourishment is important.
Thank you, Laura, for sharing your inspiring story and for your timely advice.
Over the many years, and despite the storms, the floods, the earthquakes etc. I have learned to feed, nurture and ‘gift’ my soul with the simple but powerful ‘attitude of gratitude’. I have learned to be truly thankful for EVERYTHING, the good, bad and the ugly, and I am grateful for all people who cross my pathway and who have molded me for who I am today.
Jonathan, ‘attitude of gratitude’ is a beautiful way to feed your soul. Thank you for sharing with me how you feed yours and why. Someone once told me that the bad days are there to help us appreciate the good ones more, and there is truth in it. You have an infectious attitude and outlook on life, and I am grateful for you sharing it with me here.