This has been floating around in my head for a few weeks now as I have spotted my first snowdrops, followed by the crocuses and now the many hosts of golden daffodils in full bloom. The bulbs have been nurtured by the light and warmth of the sun and the nutrients in the soil. Any that lacked the things they needed to bloom have just withered away unseen.
So it is in life – what we nurture with investment of time and recourses grows. Any activity we practice we get better at. If we make sure we get good sleep, healthy exercise and eat good food we are rewarded with a fit and healthy body. Any thoughts we allow our mind to keep thinking eventually become a part of us – and any thoughts we refuse to let in disappear from our lives.
I have been practicing this consciously with my thoughts. When I get thoughts that are not serving me – not nurturing my body or soul I am trying just to notice them and say ‘Sorry thought – I don’t want you in my life please drift away’. This may be the temptation of a slice of chocolate cake or some unnecessary anxiety about a piece of work I have not yet completed. When I have thoughts that serve me well – thinking about how to get some fresh nutritious food or a good idea for that incomplete work I am doing – I allow my brain to dwell and consciously say to myself ‘That is a great idea – let’s think about that some more or even better take some action!’
When I write in my journal, which as you know I usually do a couple of times a day, I am making a point of reflecting on the things I am thinking, saying and doing that are serving me – and noticing the joy it gives me when I am nurturing my body and soul. I reflect on my original intent – the feeling I am seeking and look for other ideas that might give me that same feeling of joy. This is relaxed and easy and is making me feel grounded and happy!
