3 Ways to Connect with & Nurture your Sacred Inner Self

Many women, including myself, have learned to put everyone else's needs ahead of their own.

In doing so, they have been conditioned to abandon their inner self. Therefore, the work of self-love, and building up a positive body image comes down to returning to your self - your inner self. You can call this part of yourself your soul, your essence, your core, or whatever other name resonates for you. Whatever you call it, you must learn how to connect with, nurture, and protect this part of who you are, for it is most sacred.

The other day I had planned to film some videos for YouTube but when I woke up I was exhausted. I did my best to hype myself up with espresso, a good breakfast and even some stretching, but nothing was cutting it. Every step I took felt like I was sludging my way through mud. Finally, I decided to stop fighting it and surrendered.

I decided to completely eliminate all of my self-imposed obligations for the day and took time to rest and rejuvenate. Instead of just slumping on my bed and watching Netflix however, I took a minute to pause. I tuned into the wisdom of my inner self and asked "what do you need today?" After a few moments I received an answer "I want to paint."

It had been a long time since I did any painting, but I knew I needed to listen. I set up my table, grabbed my sketchbook and my watercolors and began to paint. With each stroke I took, I could feel tension melting away in my body and my mind softening. This simple act of painting energized my soul in a way no amount of espresso or exercise could have. Why? Because I was tapping into my inner self and honoring my needs.

Connecting with and honoring your inner self is an essential practice, not only for improving self-love overall, but for improving your body image. It may seem counterintuitive, but overcoming negative body image is not done by changing your physical appearance to your liking. Instead, it's done by building a strong sense of self that is not reliant on your appearance.

The challenge here however, is that many women, including myself, have learned to put everyone else's needs ahead of their own. In doing so, they have been conditioned to abandon their inner self. Therefore, the work of self-love, and building up a positive body image comes down to returning to your self - your inner self. You can call this part of yourself your soul, your essence, your core, or whatever other name resonates for you. Whatever you call it, you must learn how to connect with, nurture, and protect this part of who you are, for it is most sacred.

Here are 3 ways you can connect with, nurture and protect your Inner Self:

1. Connect: Get to know yourself the way you would a dear friend

If you have a tendency of prioritizing other people above yourself it's likely that you haven't taken time to really get to know yourself in an intentional way. Fortunately for you, you are probably really great at connecting with other people! The gift in this, is that you can use this same talent to connect with your inner self! I encourage you to start treating yourself the way you would a dear friend. To do so, think back to a time when you made friends with someone close to you. Chances are you took ample time to ask them a variety of questions - things like: what's your favorite way to spend time? What are your pet peeves? What are your fears and dreams? This might feel silly at first, but your inner self is craving to be heard! Get out a pen and paper and write down your answers. Or if that's not your jam, take a walk and reflect on some of these questions and wait for the answers to emerge. The more you take time to ask yourself questions, and really listen to the answers, the more easily you will be able to connect with your inner self.

If you would like to learn more actionable ways to connect with your inner self so you can learn to love your body for life, you may be interested in learning more about my online course: Building Body Love!

2. Nurture: Surround yourself with physical anchors

It's no secret that we are living in time full of comparison traps. Seeing a post of a friend who recently got engaged, or a colleague who got promoted, or an acquaintance traveling the world can quickly send you into a tailspin of feeling unworthy, unsuccessful and unfulfilled. The problem with seeing these kinds of posts and making these comparisons is they can make you confused about what your priorities are and make you lose sight what you actually value in life. This is why it is so important that you surround yourself with physical anchors that get you back in touch with who you are at your core and what's important to you.

Take time to find items around your house that reflect the most valuable parts of yourself and encourage you to engage in activities that put you in touch with your inner self. These items could be family photos, jewelry that has a special meaning, art supplies, or anything else that grounds you, soothes you or invigorates you. I myself carry around a "worry" rock my mom gave me, wear at least one piece of jewelry every day from someone that I love, and have art and yoga supplies easily accessible in my living room. Having these physical anchors is an essential part of nurturing my inner self - they root me back into the core of who I am throughout the day, and are especially important during times in my life that are really busy or times that I am more susceptible to comparison.

3. Protect: Set aside non-negotiable time for activities that get you into a "flow" state

Being in a "flow" state refers to getting into a state of being where you lose track of time. You are fully present and engaged in whatever activity you are doing. Getting into this state is vital for cultivating a happy and fulfilling life. Not only that but getting into a flow state can help you protect your inner self and support you in overcoming negative body image. First, take time to find activities that you really love. It could be anything from walking, to painting, to dressing up, to karate, to anything in between. Then, when you find those activities, set aside non-negotiable time to engage in them. Turn off all notifications and devices, get what you need to set the right mood, and give yourself permission to fully surrender into the activity.

Now, I'd love to hear from you! Which of the three tips from above would you like to try?