Every Single Second

This week I was stopped in my tracks by these words: ”You spend every single second of your life with yourself. Make sure that the words you speak to yourself are loving, kind, and uplifting.”

The relationship that we have with ourselves is the primary relationship of our lives. But it can be easy to forget this when we are surrounded by family, friends, and community and dedicate our time to others. But the relationship we have to our inner selves sets the tone for every other relationship we have. So many of the people that I interact with on a daily basis are so keyed up, so disconnected from their inner selves, that they cannot sit with themselves. They cannot comfortably sit in stillness and solitude, without discomfort or fidgeting. This is nervous system dysregulation.

Some of my favorites way to nurture that relationship with the inner self is to spend time in nature, gardening or hiking, to move the body, breath and mind, and to write. After each of these activities, I find that it’s easier to sit with myself. What are you doing this week to tend your most important relationship?