Often it is the simple things that are the most revolutionary.
When the world continues to be in the midst of chaos and upheaval, this is a gentle invitation to return to simplicity.
In a world which is predicated us on wanting and needing more, it is act of rebellion to accept and live with less. To turn our energy and focus inwards; to our own homes, to ourselves and to invest in the absolute necessities. And to do them well.
To Eat. To Sleep. To Love. To Laugh. To Move. To Rest. To Create. To Work. To Connect. WELL.
And what ‘well’ means to you, will be different to me or someone else. But there in lies the opportunity to personally reflect on how well you are actually looking after yourself on the most basic, but most overlooked areas of our lives.
Are you aware of what your individual needs are in the areas of nutrition, sleep, connection, community, exercise, creativity and love?
How often are you actually prioritising and giving yourself your needs on a regular basis?
It is from my experience as a holistic counsellor, coach, healer and teacher, that most people are actually disconnected to their true needs on a fundamental, essential level.
Instead, we often focus our attention on the bigger task of acquisition. Of acquiring material possessions, status, houses, partners, promotions, followers, social acceptance, money, the next big business….
And although we might be successful at the acquisition, many lose their true selves in the process. We end up ignoring the simple things and shoot straight for what we think we should be doing to fit into a culture of complexity and consumption.
In the process of acquiring, we can become disconnected to our true needs and self. We overlook the simple layers of life, in favour of complexity in all its seductive forms.
And we wonder why after all the grind, work, thinking, scheming, dating, planning, money, controlling, worrying, screen time, scroll time…. we still feel like something is missing.
Well there is something missing. YOU, are missing.
The you, that needs to eat wholesome, nutritious food, at regularly intervals throughout the day.
The you, that needs to rest and play.
The you, that needs to create for sheer enjoyment without a goal in mind.
The you, that needs good quality sleep for more than 5 hours a night.
The you, that needs to be genuinely seen and heard by a loved one.
The you, that needs to be hugged and loved, just as you are.
The you, that needs to move your body regularly in ways which you enjoy.
The you, that needs to laugh with friends.
The you, that needs to dream and relax into doing nothing.
The you, that needs to express your own unique gifts in work that brings you fulfilment.
The you, that needs the support of community.
The you, that needs to connect with natural world around you.
The you, that needs to feel safe in the mind, body and soul that you were born into.
So often these ‘basic needs’, these fundamental building blocks of life, are missed in our ongoing pursuit of the bigger things which our society, culture and family systems have dictated as necessity.
But if we are not addressing our basic needs – how good a quality a life are we actually building or living?
Given the global pandemic, I can’t help but feel it’s a long overdue invitation to simplify our lives.
An invitation to cut through the burgeoning choices, distractions and options our fast paced, productivity and consumption focused way of living has created and instead remember to address the simple things in life again.
To focus on tidying up our own internal houses and to learn more about what our own individual mind, body and soul needs on a daily basis to be at its best.
When we learn how to actually take care of ourselves with the love and attention we truly need (and deserve!), life starts to flow.
And from our own individual overflow of wellness, we have genuine capacity to build truly meaningful lives, together in service to our communities, careers and families.
It seems a poignant time to remember at the heart of our being, we are all remarkably simple. It is the trappings of the mind which make life so complex.
Could it be, that our hearts are calling us to live more simply and a part of that is remember how to truly honour our own needs more consciously?
Let me know how you are learning to meet and honour your own individual and unique needs daily during this time of upheaval and global change, I’d love to hear from you.
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