Nurturing Yourself

I've been on hiatus for awhile... I technically still am on hiatus... I wanted to share a list with you that my friend Jen put together on Nurturing Yourself as a woman.

She asked her friends to answer the question "What do you do to nurture yourself?" Then she asssembled the responses into different categories and shared them with the group. Her list follows:

responses from: “What I do to nurture myself is…”

Spiritual Activities:
~Observing the Sabbath: “Simple meals; Working harder during the week to rest on that day; Planning something fun for our family to do together or with friends; Making time to read & share what I’m thinking about or reading; Intentionally NOT making lists, cleaning, worrying, or spending money.”
~Prayer
~Stop & pray during stressful parts of the day
~Bible reading (especially the Psalms)
~Practicing the Presence of God
~Meditating on scripture or other reading
~Journaling
~Going to a conference to be renewed

Touch/Physical Outlets:
~Going to the gym
~Walking
~Running
~Exercise followed by a hot shower
~Massage
~Facial
~Pedicure
~Manicure/Painting fingernails
~Body treatment (i.e. homemade sugar scrub)
~Warm blanket or electric blanket
~Taking a bubble bath with candles
~Snuggling
~Taking a dance class

Relational Outlets:
~Going on date (weekly)
~Time with a close friend or family member
~Going out for a meal or drink with a friend
~“Make-up sex”
~E-mailing friends
~Laughing & having fun
~Playing with children & seeing life from their eyes
~Sharing a hobby with others
~Avoiding draining relationships

Relaxing Activities:
~Reading a book or magazine
~Writing a letter
~Window shopping
~Scrapbooking
~Making cards
~Doing a craft that requires focus
~Creative writing
~One evening a week out by myself
~Planning a party
~Listening to music: worship, classical, jazz…
~Deep breathing
~Drinking a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, chai, or wine
~Gardening
~Flower arranging
~Watching a good movie
~Cooking/eating a favorite food (i.e baking bread)
~Creating something new
~Coloring with the kids
~Doing laundry
~Cleaning
~Taking a nap
~Go to bed early (to read)
~Playing the piano
~Being silent
~Working a crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search, etc.
~Getting up before everyone else in the house to have time alone
~Thinking about things for which I am grateful
~Finishing something

Calming Surroundings:
~Being in nature; feeling & listening to the wind and birds, being in the woods, by the water,
~Being in front of the fireplace
~Laying down in a room with dim lighting
~Going to a quiet spot, closing eyes, and calming the mind