Alright, It is about to get real philosophical up in here.
I remember a few years ago having a really nice heart to heart with my sister, she had been going through a really rough time emotionally and I wanted desperately to find the right thing to say to her. I wanted her to remember that she needed to love herself, be kind to herself, and to take care of herself before everyone else. But I was stumped, like most of you, she had heard it all before. "You have to love yourself, don't focus on the negative, read a book, go for a walk blah blah blah." Although all of the previous advice was valid and very real at some point it stops resonating with us when we need it most.
THEN, out of nowhere...I must've had some religious experience or something because a wise thousand year old women found her way to me and I knew just what to say!
Much like the ideas of early philosophers I started thinking about how our physical being and our minds and soul are completely separate. We often forget that we are so much more than just who we are in the physical world. Inside all of us lives a mini version of ourselves. Unfortunately the thousand year old women didn't tell me what to name them but for now I will just refer to them as...them/they. They live right in the center of our physical beings. Imagine them living in miniature versions of our dream homes. They contain all of our passions, inspirations, happiness, and love. When we nourish them they continue to keep us happy. And believe me when I say they want to desperately keep us happy and flourishing! They love you immensely! Know that. You are never truly alone because you have someone inside you who wants nothing but the best for you. They want to keep you safe, breathing, and inspired! However, there come times when we stop paying attention to our inner selves. We stop checking in. Stop asking. Stop communicating. And we slowly become more and more detached from our goals and passions. We stop caring for our mini-me's. That greatly affects our physical beings. Science has backed this for many years. When our mental states start declining it takes a very real toll on our physical bodies. The bodies that other people see and know, the bodies that we utilize to get us to and fro. The bodies that we sometimes allow to over shadow and suppress our true selves.
That is not to say our physical beings are not important. They are beautiful creations! Our physical bodies give us all the power in the world to live our lives and experience other people, places, food (which is my favorite thing to explore) as well as life itself. All the good and bad in life are valuable experiences to gather the right information we need to become best versions of ourselves.
Then there are those times where we feel angry right? There are times when we feel like our own body is betraying us. Why me? Why did I get diagnosed with cancer? Why did I let myself gain extra weight? Why did I suffer this debilitating injury? Why why why? Why me? And no one will ever understand your experiences like you...and YOURSELF. That little person inside you feels it to. They cry when you cry. They want so badly to give you that life you have always imagined. The two of you, your mini-me and your physical self are both sad and angry and all the emotions that you are allowed to feel... you feel together. Do not turn your back on each other. Do not fight with yourself. Love them, talk to them, ask if they are okay and they will give you that love and care in return.
This is what I told my sister and she really responded to it and found it very clarifying. Whether this is confusing to you or helpful please know that the point is that you have to take care yourself as a whole. Physically yes, but your soul needs to be made a priority. Check in with yourself once in a while and ask if you are just coasting through your daily life or if you are really taking in every experience knowing you are not alone and that you will be okay. Even if it doesn't feel like it in that moment. You truly and deeply love yourself. You want nothing but the best for yourself. I mean if you didn't then there would be nothing to get sad about in the first place. Listen to what your inner self needs and take care each other!
Best wishes, WAYS