Today in the celebration of what is “Mothers Day” we give thanks to those who have been a mother to us in our lives. These women who have shaped our lives have been cornerstones of many of the ways in which we have chosen to care for ourselves and those we love. They have given us the comforts of their motherly love and the guidance and reassurance we have needed to go forward with our lives.
What is also helpful for us to consider on this Mothers Day” are the ways in which we “mother” ourselves. How have we acted as a mother to ourselves?
We have opportunities each day to practice being “mothers” in how we think, see and act upon caring for our bodies and minds. Here are some consideration we might want to look at around the concept of mothering in our journey of health.
Mothering our Bodies
How we approach our bodies with healthy choices-Being a mother requires a lot of energy. It means using our bodies every day to address the needs of others. Building a strong body is essential. Strong in a “motherly” way means keeping a body that allows us to be functional and practical about our time and energy while enjoying each day with full awareness.
When we are considering what foods to incorporate in our healthy habits we can look for those that will allow our bodies to function at their optimum level. We can in the spirit of motherhood choose foods that will help increase our vitality and energy. When preparing foods for our families and friends we can keep in mind that when we cook with our hearts and minds filled with good intentions we are exchanging this energy with others through the foods we prepare for them to enjoy.
Our bodies have the opportunity to celebrate the strong core we have created within them with the nutritional choices we have made by being active and participating in life with energy. In doing so we celebrate our vitality.
Mothering our Minds
A day in the life of a mother requires that they wake up each morning and attend to the needs of those they love. To be “motherly” means to approach others with kindness and a genuine sense of care and love that comes from the heart. It involves listening and sharing time, comforting those who need it and being patient.
These acts of attention towards others that mothers demonstrate every day are lessons we can learn from in how to approach ourselves. Be an example of kindness, be thoughtful, considerate, gentle and warm. Do this with others and practice this in talking with yourself. When we treat our minds with care we consciously bring awareness to the messages we tell ourselves every day about who we are. Acting “motherly” in how we approach our daily dialogues internally and externally can serve us well.
So as you celebrate this day with the mothers in your life, consider what you have learned from them and apply this to yourself. You will be honoring them by doing so.
In health,
Safara
