Mindy Thomas

Getting Ahead: Don’t Forget to Feed Your Spirit

As Blake Shelton from the popular show “The Voice” might say, “What kind of bull crap is this?” To the contrary, Blake definitely knows what I’m referring to because it’s clear that one of the ways Blake feeds his spirit is through country music.

In today’s never-ending world of staying on top of your game, it has become increasingly difficult to stay supercharged. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a college student, or someone who is looking to make career changes, empowerment can come in different forms, including feeding your spirit.

One of the things I have observed with people who are trying to make changes in their lives is that their level of unhappiness continues to get progressively worse. It’s not just their job that is making them anxious, depressed, or downright miserable. I am finding that 9 times out of 10, these same people rarely, if ever, make quality time for themselves. In fact, people go for weeks, months, or years without feeding their spirit.

Research shows that 75 percent of the gainfully employed would rather take a raise than have more time off. In other words, people are NOT taking time for themselves. They are not engaging in doing things that nourish their being or feed their spirit.

Let me provide a little more clarification about what feeding your spirit looks like.

Feeding your spirit simply means enjoying yourself and doing things that bring you happiness. It’s about opening your heart and finding ways to bring a smile to your face. It’s about making time for fun and laughter.

Feeding your spirit reminds you of who you are (or who you used to be). Remember those days when you used to laugh hysterically with your friends or family? Remember how damn good it felt? Filling your spirit with nature and meditation could also make you go inward, resulting in feelings of gratitude and intense pleasure.

You see, when we spend more time working our tails off and thinking about everything outside ourselves, we lose ourselves. We forget about us. Ultimately, we end up starving our spirit. Who’s kidding whom? You know whether you’re starving your spirit or not. It’s easy to figure out. Are you creating any free periods to have fun? If not, you might want to look at ways to incorporate time into your schedule to connect you to your heart, in turn lifting you and your vibrational levels up.

Just last night, I saw a wonderful picture of a friend on Facebook who had a brain hemorrhage one year ago. She posted these words, “With my salsa teacher and salsa friends who gave me back my joy and love of dance. Dance keeps me young and alive!”

This morning my client, who is a crackerjack of an attorney but bored out of her mind, proclaimed that she would return to her yoga practice. After attending a class last week, she realized how grounded and clear she became after taking time to fill her spirit. She feels infinitely more empowered by allowing herself “feel good” time.

Another client sent me a text message a few months ago telling me he was in NYC for the weekend. This was his way of “filling up his spirit.” He adores big cities and had been down and out for more than three years after his layoff and, yes, he agreed, he had done nothing to replenish his spirit since the layoff.

This past summer another client called me from a Phillies game. Even though he adored baseball, he hadn’t been to a game in two years. This man sounded so revived and energized as a result of making this incremental change. I was truly happy for him.

Listening to music, singing out loud, driving with the convertible top down, breathing in fresh air, going on nature walks, sky gazing, visiting the beach, the mountains or a lake, turning off your cell phone, being quiet for two minutes, getting a massage, playing with your pets, cooking a nourishing meal for your family, and entertaining your friends are all great examples of ways to feed your spirit.

However, feeding your spirit is remarkably different and unique for each person. The question you need to ask yourself is what helps to open your heart? What is the one thing you could do for yourself this week that would make you feel more cheerful and connected? The other question you need to ask yourself is what is this going to cost me if I don’t take the time? You and I both know there’s always a cost.

I would like to suggest that you consider being kinder to yourself as a possible way of staying supercharged as you drive towards your goals of getting your business off the ground or starting a new chapter in your life.

Think of yourself as if you are a garden. Nurture yourself just like that garden. You deserve it. Your spirit craves it. And, there’s no question that you most definitely are worth it.