Seven Soul-Nurturing Suggestions for Busy Women

Looking for some ways to feed your soul in thedaily. Here are a few new ways to think about:
midst of all you do? Try one or more of thesePlay daydreaming games with yourself to
great ideas!discover who you long to be. Scrapbook your
1.) Body Work/Movement: Tai Ji, massage,dreams, your work life or your dialogue with your
Feldenkrais, Reflexology ... there are tons ofsoul. Journal your night dreams, then draw or
modalities which contribute to healing in soulfulwrite poems about the images you dreamt. Learn
ways. Try one today!about feng shui, the Chinese art of placement,
2.) Connections with Others: Support networkswhich teaches you how to create a soulful
groups, accountability groups, on-line chats/boards,atmosphere in your home or workplace.
spiritual direction, soul mates and soul friends allExperiment with expressive arts, which involve
offer you healthy interconnections if theseartistic, fun techniques for relating with your own
relationships help you maintain a fluid balance whileunconscious through metaphors. Make an inner
you protect and defend your interpersonalchild play date with yourself weekly to keep life
boundaries.from becoming too serious and foreboding.
3.) Daily Rituals: Setting quiet time aside for your6.) Dialogue With Yourself and With Your Higher
soul daily both refreshes and empowers you.Power (whatever you conceive It to be): Take
Experiment with meditation and visualizations.classes or read self-help books which enable you
Journal your thoughts, feelings, blessings andto identify, explore and live out your life's purpose.
conversations with your soul. DiscoverWrite your spiritual autobiography. Try new ways
aromatherapy. Use music to affect your mood,to pray. Find a spiritual director. Journal your
energy and creative output. Take a self-discoverypersonal conversations with your Higher Power.
walk, a luxurious bath or a nurturing nap. Make7.) Create a Personal Wellness Calendar: All of the
time and space for personal expression everygreat ideas above will fail to serve you unless and
day.until they become firm, scheduled habits in your
4.) Create Mini-Retreats: When you go on alife. So create a personal wellness calendar to
retreat you create conscious cocooning space inenable you to do just that.
your life, which allows you to nurture yourSchedule the elements above that you choose to
woolyworm nature into the butterfly you knowbegin experimenting with, remembering that it
you are supposed to be. Set aside time in yourgenerally takes 21 days to establish a new habit.
lunch hour for things that enliven you. Every fewSet firm boundaries around these activities to
weeks take off 2-4 hours if you can, just toprotect them while you learn to integrate them
spend with your soul. Try to attend a weekendinto your life. Try incorporating no more than 10
retreat seasonally if possible. Retreat time neednew habits into your life at any one time.
not be complex - it can be as simple as makingConsciously downshift at key points throughout
homemade bread or simmering soup just for you.your day and week and use the activities above
5.) Express Your Natural Creative Heritage: Fromto help you do so. Be flexible in your scheduling
cooking to music to writing to crafts, there areand your thinking - it is your soul that matters,
hundreds of ways to express your creativitynot your planner!