When you think of “nourishment,” what comes to mind?
If you are anything like me, your brain probably jumped straight to nourishing the body. In other words, things that support your physical health. I’m talking about nutrient-dense foods, supportive supplements, things of that nature.
But what if nourishment is more than food? What if your physical health isn’t all that matters?
It’s no secret that we are more than just our bodies! As individuals with body, mind, and spirit, our approach to nourishment should be multifaceted as well.
Let’s start with the mind! Just as we should take proactive steps to support our physical health, it’s important to put the same effort into bolstering our mental health.
Why?
Our mental health (i.e our psychological and emotional well-being) impacts pretty much every facet of our lives. It plays a role in the strength and quality of our relationships, our feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment in life, our ability to process and handle stressful situations, and even has a huge impact on physical health.
For example, “chronic stress,” which is often considered to primarily be a mental health struggle, is a contributing factor in countless physical health ailments, such as autoimmune disorders, hormone imbalances, infertility, insomnia, and the list goes on.
What does “nourishment of the mind” really look like?
It might be easier to start with what it doesn’t look like. (You probably already know the answer to this one.)
Think about it:
- What are the activities that leave you feeling anxious?
- Are there tasks or commitments that put a pit of nervousness and dread in your stomach?
- What activities make you grumpy or simply drain you of energy?
- What friends, coworkers, or family members constantly gripe or complain?
- Are there people who seem to consistently drain your energy and enthusiasm?
These are the things that expend mental energy and can leave us in a state of mental malnourishment.
Let me give you an example!
I love a good TV show as much as anybody, but I’ve found that when I sit down and binge watch episode after episode, it leaves me feeling groggy, drained, unmotivated, and, I’ll admit, even a little grumpy.
While some of these mentally draining activities can (and probably should) be limited or eliminated in our lives, the reality is, we probably can’t get rid of every activity, person, or responsibility that zaps our mental energy. Some are necessary and unavoidable parts of life.
So what can we do?
Add mentally nourishing activities to your day. Think of these activities as “mental vitamins and supplements.” Simply a part of a daily regimen for good mental health.
What are these “mentally nourishing activities”?
Just as each person has unique nutrient needs and will need a different balance of daily vitamins and minerals, our mental health needs are unique as well. Finding the perfect prescription for your unique mental nourishment will likely be a process of trial and error.
Here’s a tip: Pay attention to how you feel before, during, and after an activity or interaction. If you’re serious about feeling better, I recommend keeping a notebook to track what you notice.
Truly nourishing activities are ones that leave you feeling rested, restored, motivated, peaceful, and calm.
To give you a few examples, I surveyed our team, and here are a few of our favorite activities that nourish and support our mental health:
- Spending time in the garden.
- Nature walks with my dog.
- Looking for shells on the beach.
- Creating digital art.
Interested in learning more about how you can truly nourish yourself as a whole person? The rest of this month’s content is dedicated to whole-person nourishment. Click HERE to join our community to stay informed about upcoming content you won’t want to miss.
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
