We can bring a grumbling attitude towards the daily self care our bodies need. I know it’s work; I know it gets tiring; I know we can feel bored as we do it day in and day out. When we understand why these things are important we can shift our perspective on self care. Rather than looking at these tasks as a duty, perhaps we can look at them as taking good, good care of ourselves, as a daily invitation to pause, slow down and put the love we express for ourselves into action.
Think of the habit of eating regular meals as giving yourself daily, regular, nourishing self care so that your body can come to rest and feel like, “I have what I need.” Think of this habit as being the loving mother or grandmother to yourself. (Most grandmas will feed you as the very first thing they do when you visit their homes! They understand that feeding someone is a primary way to nourish them, to bring them to rest.)
These things reassure your body on a physical level that, “I am going to take good, good care of you.” We rest in that safety, in the safety of being taken care of. In fact, we grow only when this need for rest is met.
You’ll notice that two of these foundation habits are about literal rest. I’ve learned (the hard way!) that it’s impossible to stay off sugar while living a high stress life. Sugar bingeing is our body crying out, saying, “I’m exhausted! I can’t do this anymore!”
So offer yourself sweet, sweet rest – the rest of regular, nourishing meals and the rest of relaxation, of coming down, of sleep, of this loving mercy towards your precious body.
– from The 30 Day Lift