WBB ESSAYS
Nurturing Rituals
- by Muse
I'm a firm believer in the relaxing bubblebath.
I wasn't always. I'm a bit of a workaholic by nature, so it took a little practice to get the hang of this "doing nothing" bit. I draw a warm to hot bath with bubbles. I make sure I have a relaxing book at hand. I turn some fun music on in the living room, and I soak in the tub for a good long 45 min to an hour. I read my book. I flex my toes in the bubbles. I let my mind wander.
Light some candles, incense, oils - do something nice for yourself. Set the mood - for yourself. For you. Treat yourself right. Make a daily ritual of treating yourself right. It may feel like a waste of time. It may feel silly... but it's important.
If you've let yourself get to a point where it's "okay" to beat yourself up, to cut, to starve, to binge/purge... it's a sign that you don't love yourself enough. You are treating your body as an enemy rather than a friend. This body is with you for life. Nurturing, relaxing rituals help you re-connect to your body in a positive way. The purpose is to remember that you are important. Learning how to nurture and care about yourself is part of the recovery process.
What's your nurturing ritual?
- Muse
