When we nourish our body, we don’t just eat just one food group. We eat a well-rounded diet of vegetables, fruits, protein, and carbohydrates. Like our bodies, we need to feed our souls. And, we feed our souls in a well-rounded way. We are not our whole selves unless we are feeding ourselves physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially.
To me, feeding my soul means finding that inner sense of peace. It gives me a sense of feeling whole and complete. My energy level is higher, I feel like all cylinders are firing and I am living life.
So, how do you feed your soul? A good test is to ask yourself these questions:
- When do I feel most alive?
- When do I feel a true sense of accomplishment and joy?
- When do I lose track of time because I am so wrapped up in what I am doing?
- When do I feel most energized?
As I reflect on these questions, I realized there were times in my life I wasn’t feeding my soul. Either life got in the way, or I just wasn’t sure what did feed my soul.
So, how do I feed my soul now? I feed it by focusing on leading as balanced of a life as possible.
PHYSICALLY, I feel most energized when I get my daily exercise in. I feel the best when I am outside hiking or walking. There is just something about getting my heartrate up and enjoying the sites, sounds and smells of nature. Just this morning, I could hear the birds singing and smell the sweet scent of blooming flowers. When I can’t get outside, I feed my physical soul through weight lifting or pushing hard through a tough cardio workout. Doing one more push up on my toes, adding pounds to my bicep curl or punching and kicking make me feel strong both inside and out.
EMOTIONALLY, I feed my soul through my work and my family. I feel most alive at work when I can take a complex project from inception to completion. I do that in the classroom as I guide students in their learning and through various committees I lead. As a college instructor, my soul is fed as I watch students grow, blossom and succeed from what they have learned and through my encouragement.
I feed my soul SOCIALLY at work of course, but also through those special family times like when we are playing a board game late into the evening, exploring something new or watching my kids play sports. One of my favorite soul feeding memories is a camping trip last summer. On the spur of the moment, we packed up the camper and headed out to a campground a few hours away. We took a chance – it was a first come first serve basis on finding a spot. We got there in time and got a spot.
The park is a reclaimed strip mine with deep, clear lakes and challenging bike trails. And while we were there, we explored, made new friends, and met up with some family members. The fun of trying something new as a family, fed my soul.
To me, feeding my soul spiritually is multi-fac
eted. It is sitting on the dock enjoying the water, singing in church, reading a book, or praying. I feel my spiritual soul is fed when I feel content and at peace. Praying in particular helps center and calm me.
Feeding the soul is finding with makes your heart sing. Is it finding what brings you peace. It is what makes you happy. It means something different to everyone. But whatever it means to you, it is important.
So, as you create your SOUL meal plan for the coming days, what will you include so your soul is balanced and well fed?